Man Drives through San Juan Capistrano with Live Grenade in His Car

ALISO VIEJO, CA An Orange County Sheriff’s Department bomb squad detonated a live grenade brought into the Aliso Viejo station Wednesday morning. The unstable ordinance had been driven, presumably along the 5 Freeway, all the way from Carlsbad, according to sheriff’s officials.

“A real estate attorney brought a live grenade in from deceased client’s home in Carlsbad to our Aliso Viejo station,” said Lt. Kevin Lapyrne.

The attorney showed up at the station at 8:55 a.m. Wednesday and alerted authorities that he had a World War II era grenade in his car. The sheriff’s Bomb Squad determined the grenade was live, closed off the area and detonated the grenade inside a mobile containment unit, said Lapyrne.

No one was hurt, but such incidents happen a little too frequently, added Lapyrne.

“It happens more than it should,” he said.

In February, a woman caused a scare when she turned in a grenade to the Mission Viejo Library, triggering an evacuation.

In 2012, a man brought a found grenade to the Seal Beach Naval Weapons Station prompting a closure on the base and surrounding neighborhood.

Lapyrne advised people not to try to move any explosive or live ammunition.

“If they do come across a grenade, leave it alone and leave it in place,” he said. “A lot of these ordinance are unstable when moved. The best thing is just to leave it in place and notify bomb squad.”

Photo: Aliso Viejo Police Service