Suspicious blast, tell-tale crater lead to charges

[BEER980]

Suspicious blast, tell-tale crater lead to charges
By Venice Buhain
Longview, WA

A Kelso man faces charges of endangerment, after setting off a large explosion Saturday afternoon within earshot of three police officers, Kelso police reported. One of the officers ran into Ty Ernest Junnikkala, 41, as he was walking in the direction opposite the site of the explosion at North First and Harris, about 100 yards from the railroad tracks, police said.

He was carrying a black rifle powder, a glue stick, matches, fuse material, and a receipt for gunpowder and cigarettes, which matched butts found at the explosion site, according to the officers. At the explosion site, Officer Doug Lane found a 4-inch cast iron pipe in the middle of a crater in hard compacted soil. The opening of the pipe was pointed toward the tracks, he said, and there was a trail of residue, possibly from a fuse, about 2 or 3 feet long.

He said there must have been a projectile in the pipe that would cause enough back pressure to make a crater and spread packing remnants flying hundreds of feet. Lane was unable to find any projectile, the report said. Junnikkala faces charges of reckless endangerment and two counts of possession of explosives, all felonies, and a misdemeanor citation of second-degree reckless burning. He was held on $50,000 bail.

He was still in custody after a court appearance Monday afternoon.
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