Man accused of threatening Aera Energy, hospital takes plea deal
| Tuesday, Apr 28 2009 05:16 PM
Last Updated Tuesday, Apr 28 2009 05:18 PM
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Aera Energy has set up very public security with cement barricades and security guards in response to threats from former employee Clyde Bivins. The security was put in place after Bivins on Feb. 17 was seen driving recklessly in Aera's parking lot at Old River Road and Ming Avenue before he crashed into a curb near the State Farm Insurance Building and was taken into custody. He has since been released from jail after $257,500 bail was posted in three separate cases.
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The Bakersfield Californian
A former Aera Energy employee whose alleged threats caused the firm to install cement barricades and hire security guards pleaded no contest to a felony terrorist threat charge and a misdemeanor drunken driving charge.
Clyde Bivins, 58, faces up to a year in jail, felony probation for three years and restitution on May 27 when he's scheduled to be sentenced in Kern County Superior Court.
He will also be required to get counseling and to stay away from Aera Energy and its employees, prosecutor Steve McNutt said.
In exchange for the plea other charges such as making a false bomb threat to Memorial Hospital, resisting a peace officer and hit and run were dismissed.
Bivins was upset about a long term disability policy that reduced his payments.
He first got into the news in January when he reportedly threatened suicide and to shoot officers. A SWAT call out to his Oildale home ended peacefully without charges.
His most high profile arrest was in February when he screeched his tires around Aera's parking lot and ultimately crashed at the nearby State Farm parking lot. He was charged with drunken driving his that case.
But he had two other cases of making threats at Memorial Hospital and assaulting an officer. The threat he pled to was the hospital incident.
Aera put up security in March, but much of that ended when Bivens was put back in jail after his bail was increased to $600,000.
