Homemade bomb containing screws discovered during Sherwood Park arrest

The bomb squad was called in after Strathcona County RCMP pulled over a car in Sherwood Park with a mismatching plate, only to find weapons and an improvised explosive device inside.

The discovery happened Tuesday afternoon, around 1:30 p.m. Mounties were patrolling in Sherwood Park, checking licence plates in a parking lot off Pembina Road and Broadmoor Boulevard.

Police ran the plate of a Buick Verano and determined it was not only a match to the car, but was also not to be put on a registered motor vehicle.

A traffic stop was initiated, during which police spotted bear mace inside the Buick, whose driver was allegedly attempting to conceal down the side of the driver’s seat what was later determined to be a knife.

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RCMP arrested the driver and began a more through search of the car. They came across drug paraphernalia and then, a briefcase — which had been turned into an improvised explosive device (IED)

Inside the foam-insulated briefcase were hundreds of screws and the wiring to make it explode.

Mounties said the immediate area, which included a gas station, was evacuated and blocked off while the RCMP explosives disposal unit (EDU) was called in to render the device safe.

Following testing of the IED, RCMP said it was determined the contents of the device were energetic but the battery component was not connected.

Andrew Timothy Walker, 36, of Strathcona County, was charged with:

• Possession of a weapon contrary to an Order (x3)
• Possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose (x2)
• Possession of an explosive
• Fail to comply with a drug demand
• Impaired operation of a motor vehicle
• Possession for the purpose of trafficking
• Resisting a peace officer

Walker remains in custody and will next appeal in court on April 22.

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