(Pinedale, Wyo. – July 28th, 2026) — The Sublette County Sheriff's Office provides update regarding a hazardous materials incident that occurred at the Sheriff's Office on Friday, July 24th, 2026.
(Pinedale, Wyo. – July 28th, 2026) — The Sublette County Sheriff's Office provides update regarding a hazardous materials incident that occurred at the Sheriff's Office on Friday, July 24th, 2026.
On Friday, a citizen brought a box of old coyote killer cartridges to the Sublette County Sheriff's Office seeking assistance with their disposal. During the initial examination of the items, detectives conducted research and determined the cartridges were believed to contain sodium cyanide, an extremely hazardous chemical historically used in predator control. Several of the cartridges were found to have white powder leaking from them.
As a precaution, the Sheriff's Office immediately implemented safety protocols. A deputy and two detectives who had handled the cartridges were identified as having been exposed to the white powder. The affected area of the Sheriff's Office was secured, and the basement of the Sheriff's Office was evacuated. Air handling and ventilation systems serving the courthouse were shut down to prevent any potential spread of the material to other occupied areas of the building.
In conjunction with the Wyoming Department of Homeland Security Regional Emergency Response teams (Hazmat Materials) responded to Sublette County to assess the situation. The HAZMAT team safely identified, secured, and removed the cartridges before conducting decontamination procedures within the Sheriff's Office.
Fortunately, the person who brought in the item for disposal, the deputy, and two detectives who were exposed were evaluated, and no injuries or illnesses resulted from the incident. At no time was there an ongoing threat to the public, and normal operations resumed once the scene was declared safe.
The Sublette County Sheriff's Office reminds the public that it will not accept hazardous materials or unknown substances for destruction or disposal. If you discover an item, you believe may be hazardous or are unsure how it should be disposed of, please contact the Sheriff's Office or Sublette County Emergency Management before transporting the item. Personnel will assist in identifying the substance or object and coordinate with the appropriate agencies or specialized response teams to ensure it is handled and disposed of safely.
The Sheriff's Office appreciates the prompt response and expertise of the Wyoming Department of Homeland Security Regional Emergency Response Team, Wyoming National Guard, Civil Support Team out of Cheyenne, Sublette County EMS, and Sublette County Unified Fire whose assistance ensured the incident was resolved safely.
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Lieutenant Travis Bingham
Public Information Officer
Sublette County Sheriff’s Office
35 ½ Tyler Ave / PO Box 701
Pinedale, Wyoming 82941
Office: 307-367-5236
Cell: 307-360-7737