Squad dismantles bomb left by gas station pumps

A second homemade bomb, discovered nearby on a suspect’s body, was also dismantled.

DAYTON (AP) — Police found and dismantled two homemade bombs in a western Ohio town Tuesday, one left in a backpack at a gas station and another strapped to a suspect in his apartment nearby.

An explosive device made of fluid-filled bottles and a detonator was discovered in a backpack at a gas station in St. Marys, prompting the evacuation of nearby residents, said Police Chief Greg Foxhoven.

A bomb squad dismantled the device, and no one was injured.

Police later arrested Jesse B. McDermitt, 18, at his apartment, where they dismantled a second, smaller homemade bomb discovered on his body, Foxhoven said.

McDermitt was being held on unrelated charges pending completion of the investigation, Foxhoven said.

Foxhoven said he does not know how much damage the device left at the Marathon gas station could have caused, or if it was close to being detonated.

“I believe he wanted it to cause a lot of damage,” Foxhoven said.

McDermitt was sentenced to 21‚Ñ2 years in juvenile detention in 2006 when he was arrested for bringing homemade explosive devices, shotgun shells, a gas mask and knives to Wapakoneta High School, in St. Marys, where he was a student.

McDermitt admitted bringing a number of homemade explosive devices to the school, saying he was upset because he had been the subject of ridicule, police said.

He admitted delinquency counts of illegal conveyance of a dangerous ordnance and carrying a concealed weapon, police said.

Foxhoven said McDermitt is not a student at St. Marys Memorial High School, which is located about a block away from the gas station, and he did not know if the school was a target.

A search of the school buildings and the surrounding areas turned up nothing, said St. Marys schools Superintendent Mary Riepenhoff.

Deb Vining, manager of the gas station, said employees found the device near the pumps inside a backpack.

A customer brought the backpack into the station, and it was left by the door for about 45 minutes before employees checked its contents, Vining said.

St. Marys is located about 55 miles northwest of Dayton.

Officials at the Auglaize County Jail could not provide the name of an attorney for McDermitt.