"Exploding Shoe" Suspect Arrested
Shortly after 6pm last night, Montgomery County Sheriff’s Deputies were dispatched to reports of an explosion at the Palace Inn in Porter. Initial reports indicated that a pipe bomb had been detonated and there was an injured person who received fragmentation injuries to the face.
MCSO Deputies arrived on location and secured the scene, notifying MCHD EMS and Fire / Explosion Investigators from the Montgomery County Fire Marshal’s Office. A juvenile was checked at the scene for injuries but was not transported to the hospital.
MCFMO EOD Technicians and Investigators soon arrived at the scene and began an investigation, working with Deputies to process the evidence at the scene and identify the person responsible for the explosion. Investigators soon learned that 57 yr old Douglas Bond had arrived at the motel and rented a room (#106). He reported to witnesses that he had been in Lake Charles, LA with his brother and was on his way home when he arrived at the motel. Bond lives in the Cedar Park area.
Witnesses reported that Bond talked with other patrons of the motel for a while, before he reportedly asked them if they wanted to see something "cool". Bond then produced a shoe out of his Lexus and another object that he placed in the shoe. Bond then placed the object in the shoe and lit a fuse on the device, leading to the explosion. After the explosion, witnesses reported that he fled the scene in his vehicle. An attempt to locate was broadcast by the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office.
A canvas of the scene revealed various size pieces of the remains of a tennis shoe and paper/cardboard fragments within a sixty foot radius. The items were collected as evidence. The evidence recovered indicated that it was not a pipe bomb that was detonated, and was consistent with a fireworks type device.
A 10 year old boy initially complained of numbness to his face as well as ringing in his ears. Investigators learned that there were children and adults within 10-20 feet of the blast when it occurred.
Investigators obtained a search warrant for Room 106 which is the room that Bond had rented from the motel. The search did not reveal any new evidence in the case.
While still processing the scene, Sheriff’s Deputies were notified by the San Jacinto County Sheriff's Department that they had arrested Bond on a Public Intoxication charge.
San Jacinto County Sheriff’s Sgt. Cosme reported that a County firefighter had discovered Bond, unresponsive, in his vehicle parked on the side of the road. Sgt. Cosme responded to the scene and later arrested Bond for public intoxication. During the inventory of Bond's vehicle, Sgt. Cosme observed fireworks in the vehicle as well as the sole of a tennis shoe.
Investigators responded to the SJCSO jail and interviewed Bond, confirming that he had placed a mortar style firework in the shoe and detonated it before fleeing the scene. He informed investigators that he was trying to head to his residence in Cedar Park when he realized that he was lost and finally decided to pull over because he had been drinking.
The investigation continued throughout the night and Investigators expect to wrap up later today and review their findings with the Montgomery County District Attorney’s Office, so that the appropriate charges may be filed. Bond remains jailed in San Jacinto County at this time, but is expected to be returned to Montgomery County once the investigation is complete.
