Man accused in Salem lawnmower pipe bomb case now charged over 2nd explosive attempt

James Sever, the man accused of planting a pipe bomb in his former landlord’s lawnmower, was charged Thursday with putting a second bomb on a pickup truck being used by one of Sever’s relatives, state police said in court papers.

The pickup was a loaner vehicle from a Rostraver car dealership, and two other families used it while the bomb was attached.

Trooper Steve Limani said the pipe bomb, attached to the underneath of the pickup, was potentially dangerous for all of them, and a dealership employee who drove it on the lot.

“It just never detonated,” he said.

Sever had not been arraigned late Thursday afternoon on 39 new charges, including attempted homicide, aggravated assault and weapons of mass destruction.

He told police he started building two bombs while he was living at the Salem property from which he was evicted in June for not paying rent, according to court papers.

Both initially were intended for his relative, but Sever decided to use one for his landlord instead, police said.

Sever is accused of putting one of the bombs on the riding lawnmower, which exploded July 20 as landlord Dave Martin started using it at the Salem property.

Troopers said in court papers that Sever put the other one on the loaner Chevrolet Silverado that was parked at his relative’s house in West Newton.

The relative drove it from July 11 to 21. A second family had it for a week at the end of July. A third family used the pickup from Aug. 5 to 15.

A suspicious device was found Aug. 14 on a ramp to the Pennsylvania Turnpike in North Huntingdon. The item in a wooden box appeared to be a pipe bomb, police said.

The person using the loaner pickup at the time said he drove on the ramp Aug. 12 and thought he ran over something, but couldn’t tell what it was.

That’s when troopers believe the bomb fell off.

Sixteen adults and children used the pickup while the bomb was attached to it, police said.

The components in the North Huntingdon device appeared to be the same as what was used in the Salem lawnmower explosion, troopers said in court papers. A lab for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives is processing those items.

“With these components matching up, it is a high probability the bombs were made by the same individual,” Trooper Jacob Feryus wrote in the complaint.

Police quickly filed charges in July in connection with the Salem explosion and spent nearly two months looking for Sever. Authorities believe he spent time in the woods evading capture.

While he was on the lam, the home from which Sever was evicted was destroyed Aug. 22 in a fire deemed suspicious by investigators. The blaze appeared to have started on the vacant first floor.

No charges have been filed in connection with the fire.

Sever finally was arrested Sept. 16 in Indiana County after being spotted by an off-duty state trooper.

It was during an interview after that arrest that police said Sever confessed to building and setting both bombs. Charges of attempted homicide and related offenses connected to the Salem explosion were held for court Monday during a preliminary hearing. Afterwards, Sever told reporters that he never confessed to troopers.

He remains at the Westmoreland County Prison without bail. Sever did not have an attorney listed in the new case. The attorney who represented him during Monday’s hearing could not be reached.