South Austin Home Blast: Police Arrest Explosives Specialist in Custody
On Thursday, Austin Police Chief Lisa Davis reported the apprehension of a suspect accused of having a significant quantity of “home-made explosives.” The police department’s bomb unit had to dispose of these materials by detonating them within a house located in South Austin.
At a press briefing, Davis stated that the accused, Steven Aldrich, aged 66, had previously been involved in making explosives and was still under supervision.
“Our SWAT team has encountered him before and is well aware of his previous bomb-making activities,” Davis stated.
In 2018, according to reports from the American-Statesman, Aldrich was taken into custody by Leander law enforcement following an explosion at his residence that injured him. At the time of this event, members of the Austin police bomb unit discovered explosive materials in both his bathroom and laundry area.
American-Statesman reported
.
Previously, Aldrich was under probation due to a different explosion that took place in his backyard.
After that
2015 blast
Federal agents discovered ten explosive devices at Aldrich’s residence, along with multiple chemicals utilized for bomb-making and an unregistered sawed-off rifle.
Aldrich
was presented with a plea agreement
He got eight years of deferred adjudication for possessing an illegal weapon. During his probation, he was instructed not to use explosives or firearms.
I wish he receives some assistance
On Tuesday evening, Austin law enforcement officials addressed a report about what might be an explosive device within a house located on the 2400 block of Vintage Stave Road, as stated during a press briefing by Davis. Following this, authorities ordered the evacuation of nearby residences and set up temporary camps around the site throughout the night awaiting authorization for search warrants.
Inside the house, police found “a large amount of homemade explosives,” Davis said, and decided to move ahead with an on-site detonation after ruling it the safest option.
The explosion occurred around 5 p.m. on Wednesday and caused significant destruction to the house, as well as slight harm to the exterior of an adjacent residence, according to Davis.
During Thursday’s press briefing, Davis mentioned that Aldrich was scheduled to complete his probation in two weeks.
Following Aldrich’s arrest in 2018, a neighbor told the Statesman that he was a loner.
“I hope he receives some assistance,” stated Helen Johnson. “I don’t wish for him to live out his days behind bars, yet at the same time, I’m uncertain about having him return to this area.”
The article initially appeared on the Austin American-Statesman.
Explosion at South Austin Home: Man with History of Making Explosives Arrested by Police