Man who made a false bomb threat at Tendercare allowed release from jail for mental health treatment

Dayvin Flickinger with his attorney, Callista Gloss.

By Allison Scarbrough. Contributing Editor.

LUDINGTON — The 22-year-old Ludington man who was arrested last December after making a false bomb threat to Tendercare of Ludington was sentenced in 51st Circuit Court Tuesday, May 12. Dayvin Michael Flickinger was ordered to one year discretionary jail with eight months up front, and if he is accepted into inpatient treatment, Judge Susan Sniegowski said she will allow him to be released from jail into treatment “as soon as he can get in.”

“The ability to get treatment in jail is very limited,” Sniegowski said.

Flickinger received credit for 147 days already served in jail, and he will be placed on a tether for a minimum of 90 days upon his release. He was also ordered to two years probation and must complete substance abuse treatment.

Sniegowski lifted the no contact order for the victim based on “repeated requests for several months” from the victim to lift it. However, he is to have no contact with victim’s place of employment. One of the conditions of his probation is to not engage in any assaultive behavior.

Flickinger pleaded guilty last month to a four-year felony of false report or threat of a bomb or harmful device.

“I want to apologize to the Ludington community, as well as employees and residents of Tendercare, (the victim) and my daughter,” Flickinger said. Tendercare was the victim’s place of employment.

Ludington Police Department was dispatched to Tendercare, at 1000 E. Tinkham Ave., for a threats complaint related to a domestic dispute, Dec. 16. Flickinger made threats to come to the facility and shoot the residents, according to Ludington Police Chief Mark Barnett. “Based on that threat, Tendercare instituted a lockdown procedure,” Barnett previously said.

“The suspect told one of the officers, via telephone, that he had placed a bomb at the location and was going to detonate it,” Barnett said. “A search was made for a device and no device was located.”

Flickinger’s attorney, Callista Gloss objected to the terrorism component of the sentencing guidelines. Gloss also noted that Flickinger has no prior felonies.

Spaniola argued that Flickinger targeted Tendercare which is a senior citizens’ residence that houses over 100 residents. “Mr. Flickinger threatened the residents of Tendercare,” the prosecutor said. He made “50 calls in a short period of time” and “caused a great disturbance and upset to the staff,” who were “forced to make an emergency plan.”

Sniegowski, who overruled Gloss’s objection, said the officer’s comments in the police report were that he was going to “come over there and shoot everyone” and that he said he had “attached a bomb to a stroller and was going to blow the place up.”

“It’s no secret Mr. Flickinger has mental issues he has to deal with,” Gloss said.

“There is a significant mental health component in this case,” Spaniola said. “The community’s safety and security is at risk if Mr Flickinger does not receive services. He put a lot of people at risk.”