A 53-year-old Greeley man was arrested Wednesday after Idaho Springs officers said they found multiple suspected homemade bombs in his vehicle during a traffic stop on Interstate 70 near the mountain town. Police pulled the car over around mile marker 242 after an officer reported seeing it swerve. The driver was taken into custody without incident, and no injuries were reported.
What police say
According to reporting by the Denver Gazette, officers searched the car after the driver voluntarily told them he had drug paraphernalia. Inside a backpack, they reported finding brass knuckles and multiple devices they suspected were improvised explosive devices.
The man allegedly admitted he had built the suspected devices at home using information he found online and told officers he was already on probation for a prior weapons-related offense. Police called in the Jefferson County Explosive Ordinance Disposal team to safely deal with the items. The suspect now faces charges that include possession and use of explosive or incendiary devices.
Where the stop happened
The stop occurred on westbound I-70 near mile marker 242, east of Idaho Springs at the top of the Twin Tunnels corridor. The Colorado Department of Transportation has long flagged this stretch of the I-70 Mountain Corridor as vulnerable to congestion and frequent incidents that strain local emergency resources, which can complicate responses to hazardous-materials calls along the shoulder.
Legal consequences
Under Colorado law, knowingly possessing or making explosive or incendiary devices is a felony. C.R.S. 18-12-109 classifies possession as a felony and increases penalties when a person is accused of manufacturing or distributing such devices. These charges can carry multi-year prison sentences if prosecutors prove the devices were functional or intended for use. The suspect is presumed innocent while the investigation continues and prosecutors decide on formal charges…