MANNINGTON, W.Va. — Two men are charged in Marion County after police discovered pipe bombs in a backpack.
Damon Sturgeon, 39, of Mannington is charged with four counts of possession or manufacturing of an explosive device.
Police said Sturgeon and 44-year-old Jason Barr, also of Mannington, were reportedly passed out in a truck along Rt. 250 north of Mannington. Police were alerted to the situation late Sunday morning.
“We rely an awful lot on public information. People seeing things that are out of the ordinary and alerting us to them. This was just a case where a possible tragedy was averted due to the public’s awareness,” said Marion County Sheriff Jimmy Riffle.
Barr is charged with misdemeanor possession of methamphetamine. Riffle said it appears, at this point in the investigation, that the pipe bombs solely belonged to Sturgeon.
He added that it remains unclear as to why Sturgeon was in possession of the pipe bombs.
Rt. 250 was cordoned off while West Virginia State Police sent a bomb technician from Moundsville. The bombs were decommissioned early Sunday afternoon, allowing for Rt. 250 to re-open around 2 p.m.
Both men are still in North Central Regional Jail. Sturgeon’s bond is $200,000. Barr’s bond is $2,500.
The Marion County Sheriff’s Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms are investigating.