Pipe Bomb, Bomb Making Materials; Tustin Man Charged

TUSTIN, CA — A Tustin man was arrested Thursday and charges filed Friday after an explosion occurred in the front yard of his condominium, Orange County Sheriff's Department reported. On Wednesday, officers and emergency personnel responded to the 12700 block Newport Avenue after the loud noise was heard, and and shrapnel discovered in unincorporated area of Tustin, OCSD spokeswoman Carrie Braun said.

When deputies arrived at the condominium, a man who lived there, Kevin Sean Welch, 38, of Tustin, admitted there was a "loud explosion, but he wasn't being very forthcoming with deputies," Braun said.

The deputies saw that a "chimnaria" a stand alone fire place - had been blown apart in Welch's yard. Debris from the explosion had landed in a nearby neighbor's yard, Braun said.

Investigators also spotted what appeared to be a pipe bomb on the property, and a search warrant was obtained for further investigation.

Meanwhile, deputies evacuated residents of four neighboring condominiums, Braun said. Newport Avenue was closed from Wass Street to Warren Avenue during the incident.

Deputies disassembled the pipe bomb in the condo just after 4 p.m. and collected "a large amount of bomb-making materials" from in the residence, Braun said. The roads were reopened.

Welch was arrested and booked into Orange County Jail for felony possession of an explosive device near a private residence, possession of materials with intent to explode, misdemeanor possession of fireworks without a permit and misdemeanor sale of illegal fireworks.

A bail enhancement hearing was conducted and Welch’s bail is set at $1 million dollars. He was arraigned Friday at Central Jail Court.

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OCSD Photo