Mar 6, 2008 7:49 pm US/Pacific
UC Davis Student Arrested; Pipebombs In Dorm
DAVIS (CBS 5 / AP) ―
A student was in custody Thursday following the discovery of explosive devices at the University of California, Davis.
Authorities said two partially assembled pipe bombs were found in the Tercero D dormitory room of the arrested student, identified as 18-year-old Mark Woods.
Investigators from the Yolo County Bomb Squad and agents from the FBI and ATF indicated they believed it was an isolated incident and said there was no need to detonate any devices.
More than 450 students were evacuated Wednesday night from eight dormitories and slept in dining halls or at the homes of family and friends. Everyone had been let back in by early Thursday afternoon, and no classes were canceled.
Police became aware of the situation Wednesday night after a woman reported that students had possible explosive devices.
Students were evacuated immediately, but police saw no imminent danger of an explosion and waited until Thursday morning to get a search warrant, which requires a judge's signature.
After questioning four students, police arrested Woods, a freshman economics major from Torrance. University spokeswoman Lisa Lapin said Woods was cooperating with authorities.
Woods' roommate Robert Chao said Woods was curious and liked to experiment, but was a serious student and wasn't plotting to do harm to anyone.
"He had no intention of blowing anything up. He had no ill intentions as a person. That's not him," Chao said.
No other arrests were expected.
"Police investigators say there is nothing to indicate that this case was related to a terrorist act," a university statement said. "The investigation is continuing."
Woods was being held on two felony charges: possession of materials with the intent to make an explosive or destructive device, as well as possession with intent to make such a device on school grounds.
Police carted off about five milk crates full of material from his room, mostly powdered substances, Lapin said.
Woods was being held Thursday afternoon at the Yolo County Jail. His bail was set at $100,000.
University officials were in the process of temporarily suspending him as a student. They will decide whether to suspend him permanently after the legal proceedings are over.
It was not clear whether Woods had retained an attorney, and a call to the Yolo County Public Defender's Office was not immediately returned.
(© 2008 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
