A Morrow man is accused of setting off a homemade device that triggered a blast and caused windows at several of his neighbors’ homes to rattle Monday afternoon, police said.
Joseph Borlie Jr., 57, was arrested after a witness told police that he lit the device before the explosion along Burbank Trail. The blast, which had a radius of 65 feet, sent small particles of marble or tile fragments flying, according to Morrow police.
No one was injured, but residents several houses away reported that their windows shook and items fell from their fireplace mantles.
Officers and the Clayton County police bomb squad were called to the neighborhood to investigate and found a powdery substance and remnants of a plastic container in the road. By about 8 p.m., the bomb squad had backed out of the area to test the substances and set up an X-ray machine to process items.
A search warrant was obtained for Borlie’s home, and officers said they found “potential bomb-making materials” and a large amount of marijuana. Authorities said they are unsure if any of the items found inside the home were active.
Borlie was being held Tuesday in the Clayton County Jail on a charge of manufacturing an explosive device. According to police, he is also facing a charge of reckless conduct.
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