A Florida man triggered a multi-agency bomb squad response, but the explanation he gave for why he had missiles on his truck was completely legal

A bomb squad was called to a traffic stop in Florida after drivers reported seeing what looked like missiles strapped to a truck. It turned out the objects were just plastic props. The incident happened on Interstate 4, where concerned motorists called the Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) Troop C after spotting the unusual sight.

According to The Independent, the FHP pulled the truck over on SR-39 near Plant City, just outside of Tampa. Multiple agencies responded to the scene, including the Plant City Police Department, the local fire department, and the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office. They set up a perimeter and waited for the bomb squad to arrive and assess the situation.

The driver, Michael Nipper, told authorities that he had purchased the “missiles” online and needed them for an event. The FHP, which referred to the driver as “#RocketMan” in a social media post, confirmed after a thorough check that the devices were “plastic devices used for show and events.”

The props were convincing enough to fool highway drivers and spark a major emergency response

Images released by the FHP show two rockets firmly attached to the truck’s bed by a series of posts. One was smaller, with a red tip and electric-blue fins. The other was a larger, grey and yellow object with “AIM-120B” written on it, complete with yellow markings typically seen on real military hardware. 

Florida has seen its share of unusual run-ins with law enforcement, like the time a Florida man trolled police with his doormat before getting a swift response from the sheriff’s office. After everything was confirmed safe, the FHP advised Nipper on better ways to transport his model weapons to avoid causing alarm in the future. Officers were seen posing in front of the props in one image. The FHP ended their statement with “#NeverADullMoment in #Tampa.”

The incident became a talking point online, with social media users commenting on the FHP’s post. Some users felt the truck should not have been stopped, urging others to “mind their own business” and let people enjoy their hobbies. Florida has also made headlines for stranger stories involving the internet, including a case where a man’s dangerous obsession with an AI chatbot ended in tragedy, according to his family.

Others found the situation funny. One user joked that “Nobody [was] tailgating him” on the highway. Another simply said, “God forbid a man has hobbies.” The response was divided, but since everyone was safe and the items were legal, the whole situation ended without any serious consequences for the driver.