Willcox man charged with making, using pipe bomb

TUCSON, Ariz. (KOLD News 13) - Federal agents arrested a Willcox man on Wednesday, Sept. 21 after he reportedly build and detonated a pipe bomb a few days prior.

Agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms served a search warrant in an area near West Henry Street and North Douglas Avenue, where evidence that a bomb had been built was reportedly found.

Ronald Stroud, 30, was taken into custody and faces numerous felony charges. He has been booked into the Cochise County Jail.

Authorities say a pipe bomb exploded around 100 North Curtis Avenue late Sunday, Sept. 18. A homeowner told Willcox police where the bomb had exploded and they found material and fragmentation consistent with the deployment of a PVC pipe bomb.

Officers secured the area and called the ATF. Willcox police and ATF agents gathered evidence through security footage taken in the area and determined a white Cadillac vehicle was involved. In some video evidence, Stroud can reportedly be seen getting out of the car near the site of the explosion.

“I am extremely proud of the Willcox police officers who were involved with this investigation. Without their hard work and dedication to details, I do not believe this investigation would have progressed to where it is now,” Willcox police chief Dale Hatfield was quoted as saying. “I would also like to thank the ATF. Their agents did an amazing job, from their assistance on the initial scene to the presentation of their case to the U.S. Attorney’s Office and to the execution of their search warrants.”