Click here for Mobile Site: http://m.cbs4denver.com
  • Font Size    
Advertising

cbs4denver.com Showcase

Frozen Dead Guy Days 2010
E-mail

Close Window E-mail This Page

Police Detonate Chemicals Found In Longmont Home

Required fields are marked with an asterisk(*)

The information you provide will be used only to send the requested e-mail and will not be used to send any other e-mail communications. Read more in our Privacy Policy

Send E-mail

   Print     Share +    Comments
Jul 3, 2009 1:33 pm US/Mountain

Police Detonate Chemicals Found In Longmont Home

Reporting
Jodi Brooks
LONGMONT, Colo. (AP/CBS4) ― A bomb squad has detonated chemicals seized from the home of a Longmont man who is on probation on explosives charges.

Police found the chemicals Thursday in the home of Ronald Swerlein, 52. He was arrested on suspicion of possessing explosives.

Swerlein pleaded guilty last year to possessing explosives and was sentenced to six years' probation. The judge barred him from collecting any more explosives.

Police say a neighbor reported an explosion and smoke last week at Swerlein's house. Investigators obtained a warrant and the Boulder County bomb squad searched the home Thursday.

Police say they found chemicals and "unstable powders." They dug a bunker in Swerlein's yard, evacuated five nearby homes and detonated the materials there.

The former engineer claims he is just an experimenter, and as yet police have not found any malicious intent behind his collecting of potentially dangerous materials.

"We have not been able to find his motivation or any criminal motivation to utilize the explosives," Longmont Cmdr. Tim Lewis said.

Swerlein's wife lives in the home with him and isn't facing any charges.

Police say Swerlein may also face a drug charge because officers say they discovered what they believe was cocaine.

(© 2010 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

Curious & Controversial News

Add Comment

here. here. Need a log in? Register here
  •  * Will not be displayed with comment
  •  * e.g. (http://www.mywebsite.com)
  •  
  • Click here to refresh with new letters

Show Comments (0)

Close Window Login


Close Window Flag Comment


loading...
You need the latest Flash player to view video content.
Click here to download.

Click here to bypass this detection if you already have the latest Flash Player.

Crime

Top News Stories

© MMX, CBS Television Stations Inc. All Rights Reserved.