Bomb suspect repeatedly denied having weapons

New cruiser cam video shows exchange between troopers, WSU grad.

A former Fairborn resident and Wright State graduate being held in the Tri-County Jail on bomb-making charges denied multiple times that there were explosives in his vehicle during a search, new video reveals.

Andrew Scott Boguslawski, 43 of Moores Hill, Ind., is charged with illegal assembly and possession of chemical weapons and illegal manufacture or processing of explosives. The charges stem from a traffic stop New Year’s Day on westbound Interstate 70 in Madison County when Trooper W. Scott Davis said he clocked Boguslawski driving 85 mph in a 70 mph zone.

In cruiser cam video obtained by the Springfield News-Sun, Davis asks Boguslawski if he has any weapons in the vehicle, to which he replies, “Nope.” After Davis gives him a ticket, he quickly draws his weapon and holds Boguslawski at gunpoint after spying what looks like a handgun in a holster bolted to the driver’s seat.

“I asked you if there were any weapons in the car and you said no,” Davis said.

“But it’s not a weapon,” Boguslawski replies. “I invented a holster. That is an orange trainer.”

The weapon does prove to be what Boguslawski said, although he testified in Madison County Municipal Court on Friday he could not tell what color the weapon was, or if it was fake, in the dark. Boguslawski also repeatedly denies having weapons in the car, even after backup arrives and finds several loaded guns in the van.

Troopers recovered a Beretta 9mm holstered to the driver’s seat next to the seat belt, loaded with a bullet in the chamber with the safety off, on top of a loaded Smith & Weston Walter P-22. They also found a 223 sniper rifle and AR-15.

After locating a small bag containing explosives, a trooper approaches Boguslawski while Davis is administering a pat-down and asks him again about what’s in the van.

“Sir, is there anything you want to tell us besides weapons and ammo in here?” the trooper asks.

“Uh, I don’t think so,” Boguslawski replies.

“Anything that’s going to blow up on us if we look at it? C-4 or anything like that? Dynamite or explosives? Pipe bombs?” the trooper asks. Boguslawski continues to say, “No,” and shake his head.

At one point, Boguslawski indicates something about firecrackers, but the audio is difficult to hear over the traffic. The Columbus bomb squad is called to the scene, and officers can be seen removing several containers from the back of the van.

In total, bomb squad members found 58 improvised explosive initiators, 25 IEDs inside bottles and one bomb weighing 1.5 pounds. They also found materials to make more bombs, according to court testimony.

Boguslawski is being held in the Tri-County Jail in lieu of $1 million bond. His case will be presented to a grand jury on Feb. 5. He is also scheduled to go to trial for his traffic offense Feb. 25.

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