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SANDY — A Salt Lake man who police say placed a homemade explosive under another man's car while threatening that "debts will get settled tonight," now faces serious criminal charges.
Jonathan Hanley, 43, was charged Nov. 10 in 3rd District Court with use, transportation or possession of an explosive device, a first-degree felony, and criminal mischief, a class B misdemeanor.
On Nov. 2, a Sandy resident called police to report he had found a possible homemade explosive under his car, in addition to tire spikes placed under his wheels. An officer arrived and found a two-liter bottle in the driveway "filled with a liquid and multiple aluminum balls at the bottom," according to charging documents.
Caltrops, or four-pronged spikes, were also found "in various locations in his front yard," according to the charges. The man explained to police that prior to discovering these items, he had received threatening text messages from an unknown number stating, in part, that "debts will get settled tonight."
A bomb squad was called and police confirmed the bottle was an actual explosive and not a fake. Members of the bomb squad "disarmed the bomb and destroyed the bottle," the charges state. A roommate had already run over one of the caltrops, causing a flat tire.
Detectives used police databases to trace the unknown number from which the message was sent and found the phone was registered to Hanley, the charging documents allege. Police were also able to obtain surveillance video from the neighborhood.
"In the video you can see a vehicle drive up and down the street multiple times, stop up from the address, an individual exits the vehicle and walks towards the driveway where the items were placed," the police affidavit states.
The vehicle was found to be registered to Hanley's ex-wife. Police say the alleged victim knew both Hanley and his ex-wife prior to the incident and he began spending time with the woman after she became divorced, according to the charges. The man said he declined her advances, but she may have told Hanley about spending time with him while trying to reconcile with Hanley, according to police.
Prosecutors believe Hanley is a flight risk and have asked a judge to have him remain in jail without bail, pending trial.
