WEARE, N.H. (WHDH) - A New Hampshire man appeared in court Friday as he faces charges in connection with accusations that he set off a pair of pipe bombs in the town of Weare earlier this week.
Less than a day after his arrest late Thursday afternoon, 54-year-old Dale Stewart Jr. pleaded not guilty and was ordered held after his attorney suggested he undergo a mental health evaluation.
Weare police previously said authorities were able to identify a vehicle belonging to a suspect. By 6 p.m. on Thursday, officials said they tracked it down and detained Stewart.
Officials said they executed a search warrant on Stewart’s vehicle and his residence, finding one additional fully-constructed pipe bomb in his truck.
The first explosion happened on Wednesday at 6:10 p.m. in the area of Dustin Tavern Road. The other happened Thursday morning at 6:50 a.m. off Sugar Hill Road.
A passerby was injured in the second explosion, suffering minor injuries from shattered glass after he stopped on his way to work to check out smoke he spotted on the side of the road, according to officials.
The second explosion shattered a window on the passerby’s van, causing non-life-threatening injuries.
Sugar Hill Road was subsequently closed off for hours afterwards as federal, state and local authorities swept through the area.
Weare police said Stewart now faces charges with multiple counts that include:
- Throwing/Placing Explosives
- Possession of Infernal Machine
- Reckless Conduct – Deadly Weapon
- 2nd Degree Assault; Extreme Indifference
- Disorderly Conduct
- Criminal Mischief
7NEWS spoke with the man who was injured, who described seeing an item smoking “like a firecracker” before it exploded.
Craig Waldron said he is okay despite his injuries. Still, he shared his reaction to this incident.
“Why would a fool waste his time with this crap trying to hurt people?” he said.
At least one member of Stewart’s family was in court on Friday, later speaking about Waldron.
“I feel sorry for that man,” the family member said. “I do feel sorry for that man.”
Officials said Stewart was arrested after police found him inside a hardware store in Weare. Not long after speaking with investigators, prosecutors said he admitted to building the bombs
Police said surveillance video captured Stewart’s pick-up truck on camera, ultimately leading to his arrest.
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