Defendant arraigned in Barnstable parking lot explosion

January 2, 2008 04:37 PM Email| Comments (0)| Text size – +

By Globe Staff

An 18-year-old man arrested in connection with an explosion Tuesday in a Shaw’s supermarket parking lot in Barnstable was released on $2,500 bail after being arraigned today in district court.

Andrew J. Spalt of Barnstable pleaded not guilty to possessing an explosive device during his arraignment before Barnstable District Judge Joan Lynch. A pretrial hearing was set for Feb. 11.

Spalt’s attorney, Edward Lynch of Barnstable, said, “This is an 18-year-old kid who made some foolish choices. ... There wasn’t any intent to destroy anything or hurt someone.”

He said he believed the charges should ultimately be reduced to either disturbing the peace or disorderly conduct.

Police said someone reported an explosion at the parking lot at about 6:15 p.m. Tuesday. The first officer who arrived at the scene found pieces of a plastic soda bottle littering the lot and another intact bottle that appeared to be suspicious. The latter bottle was detonated by the State Police Bomb Squad.

Spalt approached the officers, admitting to filling the bottles with chemicals and placing them in the parking lot, police said in a statement.

Michael Trudeau, first assistant district attorney for the Cape and Islands, said the bottles contained a collection of household cleaning fluids. He said the bomb was set off in an unused area of the parking lot and no injuries or property damage resulted.