Charges likely after homemade bomb explodes in garage

WARREN — A 37-year-old Warren man is expected to face charges after a bomb he reportedly was making in his garage exploded.

At around 3 p.m. June 11, the Warren police and fire departments responded to a home in the 20700 block of Gentner Street, just north of Eight Mile Road. When they arrived, they found the victim in the garage of the home, Warren Police Commissioner Bill Dwyer said.

The man was transferred to Detroit Receiving Hospital with second- and third-degree burns on over 55% of his body, Dwyer said. The man also lost a hand and could have bled out if it weren’t for an officer putting a tourniquet on his arm, Dwyer said.

It was reported that the man lost both arms; however, that information is inaccurate, Dwyer said.

A fire that started in the garage spread to the rest of the home. It is believed the fire started when an explosive device the man was making blew up, although the reason for the explosion is unknown, Dwyer said.

The man has a criminal history including possession of drugs and dangerous weapons, felony uttering and publishing and operating while impaired, Dwyer said. He was reportedly under investigation by the department’s Special Operations Unit and listed on a federal watchlist. When a search warrant of the home was executed, more than a dozen handguns and rifles, firearm parts, a large amount of AR-style magazines and approximately 4,000 rounds of ammunition were recovered.

In addition, the Michigan State Police bomb squad was called in to remove several small explosive devices, Dwyer said. The home appeared to be fortified and several other items were removed, although Dwyer said he couldn’t share the specifics of them due to the ongoing investigation.

It was unclear what the man was planning to do with the weapons and explosive devices, Dwyer said.

“It would only be speculation on my part at this time but certainly it would be indicative of someone that was preparing to commit some sort of a felony act,” he said.

Warren police expected to seek felony warrants through the Macomb County Prosecutor’s Office at a later date, Dwyer said.

The man will likely remain in the hospital for several months, Dwyer added.