A Charleston man allegedly set off an explosion so strong it shook a nearby police cruiser in Kanawha City on Thursday morning.
Police saw Michael Scott Jones, 45, throw something into a dumpster outside his apartment on 6544 MacCorkle Ave., according to a criminal complaint.
The apartment is located near Kmart and the Galaxy Lanes bowling alley. According to the complaint, police saw a flame as Jones tossed an item into the dumpster.
A loud blast then erupted throughout the area, shaking the nearby police cruiser and sending smoke into the air, according to the complaint.
Jones retreated to his apartment and refused to come out, the complaint states. A SWAT team arrived as backup, and police later entered the home with a search warrant.
They allegedly found fireworks inside a trash bag. According to the complaint, Jones said he threw an M-1000 firecracker into the dumpster.
Considering the "extreme noise and concussion caused by the explosion," authorities were unsure whether a firework actually caused the blast.
One neighbor told police that Jones threatened to set off half-sticks off dynamite and M-80 fireworks "whenever he feels like it," the complaint states.
Police charged Jones with the felony use of a destructive devise, explosive material or an incendiary device.
He remained at South Central Regional Jail in lieu of a $10,000 bail on Thursday morning.
Reach Giuseppe Sabella at giuseppe.sabella@wvgazettemail.com, 304-348-5189 or follow @Gsabella on Twitter.