WINONA LAKE -- On Saturday, a 6-year-old boy was airlifted to Parkview Hospital in Fort Wayne for injuries suffered from a homemade bomb.
The victim was Zander Johnson, who said that he had helped David Lee Watkins, 24, make a homemade bomb out of toilet bowl cleaner, a 2-liter bottle and aluminum foil, according to a police report.
Watkins was arrested for possession of explosives, a Class C felony, and criminal recklessness, a Class D felony.
Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Department and Winona Lake Police Department were called to the Fairlane Mobile Home Park at 2:45 p.m. Saturday in reference to an explosion of a homemade explosive device. Upon arrival, Winona Lake Police Department officer Malcom Gilbert found Johnson with Tina Patrick.
According to the report, Johnson told Gilbert that he shook the bottle full of the toilet bowl cleaner and aluminum foil, and it exploded in his face. Johnson also told Gilbert that he and Watkins had made the bomb the previous night, and that at the time of the incident Watkins was at work.
Gilbert noticed a white foam substance with aluminum foil on the ground near where the bomb explosion occurred, the report indicated.
Gilbert spoke with Bradley Patrick, who also lives a the residence, and Bradley Patrick told Gilbert that he saw Watkins and Johnson making the bomb, but he had no idea what it was and did not see them put aluminum foil into the bottle.
Gilbert also spoke with Jacob Bradford, who lives at the residence, and he said he was playing X-Box and was not paying attention to what was going on. Bradford then informed Gilbert that he saw Johnson and Watkins take the bottle outside and he saw Watkins shake the bottle but nothing happened.
After Gilbert was finished speaking to Johnson, the Patricks and Bradford, he went to pick up Watkins from his place of employment and transported him to the Kosciusko County Jail.
Once Gilbert had an opportunity to interview Watkins, Watkins admitted to making the device at approximately 10 p.m. Friday night. Watkins said that they made the device twice, but it did not work, so he emptied the bottle and threw it into the woods. Watkins said that there was a little bit of white stuff left in the bottom. Watkins told Gilbert that he heard from a friend of how to make the device.
Johnson went into surgery at 6 p.m. Saturday. According to the report, family members informed Gilbert that Johnson was doing well but they were trying to get him to open his eye.
Watkins was booked into the Kosciusko County Jail at 4 p.m. Saturday on $5,000 bond. As of this morning, Watkins was still in jail.
