Truck Parked in N. Hollywood Held Arms : Suspect in Threats Seized With Arsenal

A 33-year-old mental patient who police said had threatened to “blow up” California Highway Patrol officers was armed with anti-tank rockets, hand grenades and a semiautomatic pistol when he was arrested by officers who surrounded his truck at a North Hollywood park, police said.

Steven Allen Swatfiguer, whom police identified as an outpatient at a Glendale mental-health clinic, was arrested Thursday night by officers from the Los Angeles Police Department and the CHP, police Detective John Leone said Friday.

Swatfiguer, who did not put up a struggle, told police that the weapons were in the truck, which was parked near Valley Plaza Park, Leone said.

Officers found a rocket launcher, two hand grenades and a loaded MAC-10 semiautomatic pistol, Leone said. CHP spokeswoman Jill Angel said the rocket launcher was a loaded LAAW, a military anti-tank weapon. Swatfiguer had been in the military, Angel said.

Swatfiguer had been wanted for questioning since 1983, when he threatened to “blow up some CHP officers” because, Leone said, he “claimed harassment that never occurred.” Leone would not elaborate, but CHP Capt. Truman (Bud) Dennis said the threatened officers were assigned to the Special Investigative Unit at the patrol’s Los Angeles headquarters.

Leone said employees at the Glendale mental health clinic, which he would not identify, told police this week that Swatfiguer had threatened their lives and was carrying explosives and guns. “He had threatened the lives of CHP officers and others and made a statement that he wouldn’t be taken alive,” Leone said.

Leone would not say why Swatfiguer was being treated at the clinic. Angel said Swatfiguer had been treated at several mental-health facilities over the last few years.

Officers saw Swatfiguer’s truck on the Hollywood Freeway Thursday and followed him until he stopped at the park. They moved in when Swatfiguer, who apparently lived in the truck, went to sleep in the back of the vehicle, Leone said.

Swatfiguer was booked on suspicion of possessing explosives. He was being held in lieu of $60,000 bail at Van Nuys Jail.