When a suspect is also the victim, it’s obvious that something must have gone wrong. A man received an explosion-related injury after he detonated a device in his backyard.
The bomb squad was called to a home “to investigate a possible explosion-related injury which occurred in the city of Royal Palm Beach.” A detective with the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office said that Clayton Merritt was the person who sustained injuries to his left hand, including the partial loss of a finger.
Merrit was transported to the hospital to receive treatment for the injury he caused himself. The 32-year-old had told his mother that he was planning on detonating a device in the backyard, which he had constructed using PVC pipe and the pyrotechnic powders he harvested from inside consumer fireworks.
Having some brains, Merrit’s mother advised him to not go through with his plan, which Merrit ignored. According to the arrest report: “[His mother] stated she heard a large explosion and a few seconds later, Merritt came inside the residence, bleeding heavily from the hands. [His mother] stated Merritt told her that ‘Mom, you were right,’ and that he regretted making the device.”
After issuing a search warrant, the detective on the case found “a worktable with multiple items on it consistent with the manufacture of improvised explosive devices. Located on the table were tools for cutting and grinding consumer fireworks, including wire cutters, snips, and a white stone mortar and pestle.” Numerous containers, funnels, scoops, pyrotechnic powders and consumer pyrotechnics were also located.
Merritt was charged with manufacturing a destructive device. He was booked and released in lieu of a $10,000 bond.