WALTON COUNTY, Fla. (WMBB) — A typical traffic stop in Walton County on Monday night turned into a significant arrest when deputies found two pipe bombs in a car, leading to felony charges against a man from DeFuniak Springs.
The Walton County Sheriff’s Office reported that deputies pulled over a car at the Smith Road and Highway 90 intersection after spotting a cardboard sign with the word “PRIVATE” in place of a regular tag. When approached, the driver, identified as 37-year-old Benjamin Adam Roach, initially claimed he had no identification, but a birth certificate inside the car confirmed who he was.
During their search, deputies discovered methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia in the vehicle. As they continued to inventory the car, they found two suspicious cylinder-shaped items: a capped PVC pipe and a black cylinder wrapped in heavy tape.
When questioned, Roach admitted both devices contained gunpowder. He first denied the presence of a fuse but later admitted one of the objects did have one.
Authorities immediately contacted the Bay County Bomb Squad and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. After a joint investigation, the bomb squad confirmed the objects were functional pipe bombs and safely disarmed them.
Roach was arrested and transported to the Walton County Jail. He faces a range of felony charges, including making a bomb, possessing explosives, possession of a controlled substance, tampering with evidence and possession of drug paraphernalia. As of Tuesday morning, no bond has been issued.
The investigation remains ongoing.
