Man wanted on attempted homicide charge in connection to Westmoreland County lawn mower explosion

SALEM TOWNSHIP, Pa. — A man is wanted on an attempted homicide charge after explosives were put underneath a lawnmower in Westmoreland County.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE >>> Device placed under lawn tractor leads to explosion in Westmoreland County, state police say

The explosion happened at Old Johnson Farm on Route 22 in Salem Township on Sunday. State police were called to the property when a man started a Cub Cadet zero-turn mower and an explosion happened.

Troopers would not comment on the condition of the victim, only saying the victim did not die from their injuries.

Hazardous Device and Explosive Section members, as well as the FBI and the ATF, were called to investigate.

Police said they found small metal pieces of threaded pipe, shrapnel, wood, black plastic zip ties, nails, screws, a battery and wire components at the scene. They added that large metal pieces of shrapnel consistent with a metal pipe were forced through a wall from the explosion. All of this, they say, was consistent with an improvised explosive device.

On Friday, Pennsylvania State Police Public Information Officer Steve Limani announced that an arrest warrant had been issued for James M. Sever, 54.

According to court documents, the victim told investigators he had recently evicted Sever from a property.

Police said Sever’s cellphone records showed it was near the scene of the explosion the day before it happened.

A trooper found Sever’s White Dodge Ram 1500 using a license plate reader and a search was held.

Police reported finding two black zip tie cords underneath the exterior of the vehicle that were being used to hold parts in place. They said those zip ties were identical to the ones found at the scene.

A witness reported to police that Sever appeared to be acting nervously and erratically the day after the explosion and was asking questions about the current states of neighbors and spoke about his recent eviction.

A separate witness told police that Sever had once threatened to blow up his property manager because smoke was coming into his residence due to an issue with his chimney.

In addition to the attempted homicide charge, Sever faces two aggravated assault charges, a felony weapons of mass destruction charge, a felony risking catastrophe charge and five misdemeanors.

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