Adams Pleads Not Guilty In Fayetteville Bomb Case

Adams
Adams

— An 18-year-old Fayetteville man accused in February of having a homemade bomb in his car pleaded not guilty Monday in Washington County Circuit Court to a charge of criminal use of a prohibited weapon. Trial was set for June 3.

Seth Dalton Adams, 18, of 3336 E. Huntsville Road, was arrested Feb. 19 after police went to the area of Leverett Avenue and Sycamore Street to investigate a report of a man in a silver Pontiac Grand Am waving a gun, according to a police report. Police did not find the car.

Officer Stephen Mauk talked with April Gronwaldt, of 2100 N. Leverett, No. 81, who had called police. Gronwaldt told Mauk that Adams was her daughter's boyfriend whom she had just kicked out of her apartment, according to the report. Gronwaldt said Adams had a 9mm handgun and was suicidal, according to the report.

Police found Adams and a small safe in his car near 425 E. Ash. Police found a Ruger 9mm handgun, drug paraphernalia and a small flashlight converted into an explosive device in the safe, according to the police report.

Bentonville's bomb squad was called to disarm the device.

Adams told police he bought the handgun from a friend and thought it was likely stolen. He said the explosive device was given to him by Gronwaldt's husband, John Brooks, several weeks ago. Adams told police it contained gunpowder and he intended to "blow up a pumpkin."

Adams told police he wasn't suicidal and refused medical attention.

Adams was arrested March 23 in connection with possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of a controlled substance and misdemeanor traffic violations. He was arrested Thursday in connection with two counts of theft by receiving, two counts of fraudulent use of a credit card and one count of possession of drug paraphernalia. Arraignment on those charges is set for April 23.

Adams is being held at the Washington County Jail in lieu of bond.

NW News on 04/01/2014

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