The Story Gets Curiouser and Curiouser
ONGOING INVESTIGATIONS INTO LAST WEEK'S explosion in a university researcher's apartment have uncovered a long trail of explosive misfeasance by the researcher. Firegeezer reported on the story HERE last Friday about the University of California – Davis junior researcher whose apartment was the scene of a small explosion in the middle of the night. (Note: Our original story described him as a student/researcher. We have since learned that he is officially listed as a "temporary junior researcher.")
After finding chemicals that are unstable and improperly stored inside the apartment, the campus police opened a criminal investigation and three days later they arrested David Snyder, 32, and charged him with suspicion of felony possession of an explosive, possession of materials with intent to manufacture an explosive device and possession of firearms on campus.
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David Snyder
Snyder is a temporary junior researcher at the campus chemistry lab. Police say they found guns, live explosives and materials that can be used in making bombs inside his apartment.
"There is currently no information to suggest that Mr. Snyder was planning, or plotting, any type of event here on campus, or in the community related to his arrest," said UC Davis Police Chief Matt Carmichael.
Seventy-four people that live in the complex had to be evacuated while crews removed dangerous chemicals Thursday morning. They were deemed so unsafe that they had to be detonated in a field by bomb squads.
"This was a dangerous event and we were fortunate," said Carmichael.
Meanwhile, police will not say how much was found in the apartment. They also wouldn’t comment on whether or not Snyder is being cooperative with police. However, they say as the investigation continues, he could face even more charges.
Snyder was booked into Yolo County jail Sunday and is being held under $2 million bond. He will be formally charged this afternoon (Thursday).
Snyder received a bachelor’s degree in chemistry from UC Davis in 2004 and a Ph.D., also in chemistry, in December 2011. After earning his doctorate, he held a temporary one-year research appointment through UCSF that allowed him to work at UC Davis. That position ended in November. His current temporary job with UC Davis began in December.
Neighbors say that this make-shift window vent
has been in place for about a year and that strange odors
were often coming from it. (Ventura County Star photo)
CBS13 provided this updated video report Monday:
Yesterday (Wednesday) it was learned that on the day following the explosion, police investigators searched all the dumpsters in the campus area and found discarded explosives and chemicals in several of them. Channel 13, which has been staying on top of the story, has added:
According to a CBS13 source, investigators believe some of the chemicals found inside Snyder’s apartment came from a UC Davis laboratory.
After the explosion, the source says someone went to Snyder’s home, before the bomb squad arrived, and removed part of the chemicals, only to dispose of them in dumpsters around Davis.
"It’s dangerous; it’s very, very dangerous," UC Davis graduate student Patrick Wilson said.
It is possible that someone else could be arrested in connection to this case. Snyder is being held on $2 million bond and is on investigative leave from the university.
Ch. 13 filed this updated video report last night:
The Sacramento Bee has MORE.
The UC Davis Police report on the arrest is HERE.
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