A Vancouver man faces arson charges after police said he detonated explosives twice in the past four months at an east Vancouver apartment complex.
The first incident was reported at about 4:30 a.m. on July 29, when police responded to an explosion and fire in the parking lot at the Sir James Apartments, 11022 N.E. 18th St. Police responded and discovered a silver Mercedes station wagon had been damaged by an improvised explosive device, according to a probable cause affidavit filed in the case.
The investigation was suspended without leads until another vehicle was bombed at about 3:40 a.m. on Oct. 2, according to court documents.
No one was injured in either incident, Vancouver police spokeswoman Kim Kapp said.
Arson detectives determined that carbon dioxide cartridge bombs were used in both incidents, the probable cause affidavit states. An extensive investigation led police to Pedro Franco-Gonzalez, 21, an acquaintance of the woman whose vehicle was targeted in the Oct. 2 incident, court records state.
He was arrested on Friday and appeared in Clark County Superior Court Monday morning on suspicion of two counts of first-degree arson, four counts of possessing prohibited explosive devices and possession of methamphetamine.
Judge David Gregerson set his bail at $200,000.
Over the weekend, officers searched Franco-Gonzalez’s residence in the 6000 block of Northeast 102nd Avenue and seized a vehicle, Kapp said. While searching the vehicle on Monday, police discovered that it contained a suspicious device, prompting a response by the regional bomb squad, Kapp said.
Vancouver Police Department’s West Precinct was evacuated at about 8 a.m. Monday while officers with the Metro Explosive Disposal Unit responded, Kapp said. They removed the device, which they determined was safe, and the building reopened at about 10 a.m., Kapp said.
Police said that the investigation is ongoing. She said police expect to serve additional search warrants and that additional charges in the case are expected.
This story will be updated when court records become available.
Reporter Jessica Prokop contributed to this story.
