Ferry service came to a halt between Vashon and Point Defiance on Saturday because of a potential bomb scare at the Tacoma ferry terminal.

A 48-year-old Vashon man, believed to be mentally ill, was taken into custody, and authorities will soon determine if he will be charged, according to a press release from the King County Sheriff’s Office.

Authorities stopped ferry traffic about 11:15 a.m. Saturday after a witness reported overhearing the man rambling about having explosives and wanting to detonate them after a particular car disembarked the boat.

The King County Sheriff’s Office also began receiving calls about a man at the Talequah Ferry Terminal carrying a broom around and talking about killing all of the rats.  Multiple callers reported various suspicious and disturbing behaviors from the Vashon man, the sheriff’s office press release said.

The Tacoma News Tribune reported that King County Sheriff’s deputies know the man and are aware of his mental health status.

The State Patrol and a K-9 unit swept the terminal and ferry and deemed them safe. Ferry travel resumed at about 4 p.m. While the south end ferry was shut down, traffic was heavier than normal at the north end of the island.

No further details about the incident were available at press time.