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Charges were filed Monday against a Claypool teen-ager accused of setting off a homemade bomb Thursday at the Claypool Elementary School baseball diamond.
Patrick A. Stark, 15, of 206 E. Calhoun St., is preliminarily charged with possession of a bomb, a Class C felony. Kosciusko County Sheriff Aaron Rovenstine said the information for the charge was filed with the probation department and will be handled in juvenile court.
Stark, who suffered severe burns to his face, allegedly made statements about taking a bomb or weapon to school to kill other students. Stark is a freshman at Warsaw Community High School.
Police interviewed Stark Monday and he reportedly told investigators that he probably did make such statements, but that he was just joking because everyone made fun of him for wearing a trenchcoat and called him "Columbine," according to Detective Lt. Sam Whitaker of the Kosciusko County Sheriff's Department.
Paul Crousore, principal of WCHS, said no decision has been made as to whether Stark will be allowed to return to school once he is medically able. Stark was released from the St. Joseph Hospital Regional Burn Center, Fort Wayne, on Saturday, but has not yet been released from doctor's care, authorities said.
Crousore said school officials talked with many students Monday and gathered information "that relates to school" regarding this incident. He said rumors and innuendo have to be followed up. "In his case ... we need to make sure we're being fair with what we're doing," Crousore said. "The allegations indicate that there could be a suspension that could result in an expulsion."
Stark and two other teens reportedly took a homemade bomb to the Claypool school grounds Thursday evening with the intention of detonating it. In the process of igniting the bomb, the device exploded in Stark's face.
Whitaker said that Stark's face was "burned pretty bad" in the incident. Officials earlier said that Stark suffered second- and third-degree burns. Whitaker described Stark's forehead and the sides of his cheeks as having "really red burns" and said that other areas of Stark's face are scabbed over. Whitaker said that, judging from what appeared to be Stark's trouble breathing during questioning Monday, he believes Stark possibly also inhaled some of the heat from the fire off the bomb. "He's in pain," Whitaker said.
No charges are expected against the other two juveniles who were with Stark. Whitaker said the two simply were with Stark and otherwise had no involvement with the bomb. They were reportedly about 40 yards away from the bomb when Stark allegedly set it off, Whitaker said.
Although the Department of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms was involved in the investigation of this case, it is not likely that Stark will face any federal charges. Whitaker said he thinks the case will be kept at the local level.
As a precaution, officials searched the high school earlier Friday morning and determined it to be safe. Police also searched Stark's home and reportedly found notebooks containing satanic writings.
The matter remains under investigation.
