An Oakland Township (Michigan) man faces arraignment on felony charges today after police said they found seven explosive devices in the man's pickup and detonated a pipe bomb he brought to his Sterling Heights workplace.
Sterling Heights police got a call from management at Detronic Industries, a sheet-metal fabricating shop near 15 Mile and Mound roads, about 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, said Lt. Mike Reese.
The caller told police an employee brought a pipe bomb to work with him.
Police arrived, and evacuated the shop and neighboring buildings.
They arrested the man and called for help from the State Police bomb squad, which used a robot to contend with the 8- to-10-inch device -- loaded with scrap metal, finishing nails and screws -- in a plastic grocery bag in the arrested man's work area, Reese said.
"It would have caused some severe injuries if it detonated inside the plant," Reese said.
Reese said the other explosives found later in the man's truck were not pipe bombs. Troopers took those devices back to their crime lab for analysis.
Officers were searching the man's Oakland Township home for evidence Tuesday evening. The 17-year Detronic employee could face charges of manufacturing and possessing an explosive device, a 15-year felony, Reese said.
The man had no history of problems at work and no prior contact with Sterling Heights police.
He could be arraigned this afternoon.
