Man Crashes Truck Into Abortion Clinic

A man wearing a crash helmet and earplugs smashed a pickup full of propane tanks and gasoline cans into an abortion clinic early Monday. The fuel did not explode, and no one was injured.

After driving through the front doors of Family Planning Associates about 2:15 a.m., the man got out and tried to ignite gasoline on the outside of the pickup, Police Sgt. Bill Henry said. A security guard stopped the man and held him until police arrived.

Some gasoline burned briefly but caused no major damage to the building, which was empty at the time.

Henry said the truck bed contained three five-gallon bottles of propane and a dozen five-gallon cans of gasoline.

Peter Andrew Howard, 44, of Bakersfield was jailed for investigation of terrorism with an explosive device at an abortion clinic and attempted destruction of an explosive device. Howard, a nurse who left his job at a hospital in December, has picketed the clinic in the past, the sergeant said.

“He’s indicating to us that this was his act alone, that nobody prodded him to do this,” Henry said. “He planned it and did not intend to hurt himself. Nor did he intend to hurt anyone else, and that’s why he picked the time of day he did.”

Henry said Howard had no criminal record.

Tim Palmquist, co-chairman of LifeSavers Ministries, said Howard took part in the antiabortion group’s “prayer and sidewalk counseling” several years ago. But Palmquist said Howard had not demonstrated for two or three years with LifeSavers, which has volunteers sign a pledge against violence.

“We’re shocked and saddened to hear that Pete Howard is the suspect,” Palmquist said. “The few times we have had contact with Pete, he has always been very peaceful and prayerful. We can’t believe this.”