Alleged Westmoreland County lawn mower bomber also placed explosive under loaner vehicle, police say

James Sever, the man already accused of strapping a pipe bomb to his former landlord’s lawn mower in Salem Township, is now charged with attempted homicide after state police say he built and attached another device to what he thought was his uncle’s pickup truck.

This time, however, state police say Sever planted the explosive device underneath a pickup truck connected to a local car dealership. The truck was used as a loaner by C. Harper Chevrolet in Belle Vernon.

Police say the pipe bomb was powerful enough to kill whoever was behind the wheel and anyone nearby.

“I’m just thrilled no one got hurt,” Trooper Stephen Limani said.

“We were appalled. You never think anyone is going to do something like that. It was upsetting to us from a business standpoint that we potentially put our customers in danger,” said Jennifer Galla with C. Harper Chevrolet.

Read more: CBS News