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Sam Penrod ReportingThe discovery of a pipe bomb on a Summit County ranch this morning brought out the bomb squad and ended with the arrest of an employee. The suspect claims the bomb was only a hobby.
Investigators believed the man had no plans to hurt anyone with the pipe bomb, but say a hobby or not, pipe bombs are dangerous and illegal.
It all started this morning at the Garff Ranch in Brown's Canyon, a few miles east of Park City. The ranch is a business that gives snowmobile tours, and this morning a worker opened his co-worker's toolbox to borrow a tool and found the pipe bomb. It was about three inches long and an inch diameter, and did have a fuse.
The man called police, who later discovered the bomb was made by the owner of the toolbox. The bomb squad from Salt Lake City was called in to detonate the device. Authorities say regardless of the suspect's motive, any type of homemade explosive is illegal.
Capt. Joe Offret, Summit County Sheriff's Office: “Certainly is, certainly is, and potentially very dangerous. Had this gone off in the facility, it could have resulted in death or serious bodily injury.”
Authorities say the man who made the pipe bomb told them he made it about a year ago and was going to use it to blow up gophers in the area.
The XX year old was arrested and booked into the Summit County jail, where he faces felony charges of possessing and building an explosive device.
