Suspect in rigged lawn mower explosion in Salem arrested in Indiana County

A Westmoreland County man charged with rigging a lawn mower to explode has been arrested in Indiana County.

James Sever, 54, of New Alexandria was taken into custody early Tuesday evening, according to state police. An off-duty trooper reported seeing Sever about 7 p.m. along Hoodlebug Trail in Center Township.

State police found Sever riding an e-bike along the trail and took him into custody without incident.

Authorities from multiple agencies had been looking for Sever for more than a month in connection with a July 20 explosion at a Salem property from which he was evicted.

State police charged him July 25 with attempted homicide, weapons of mass destruction, risking catastrophe and related offenses in connection with the explosion.

The landlord of the property on Route 22 told police he filled the lawnmower’s tank with gas and started the engine in a garage, letting it idle for about 10 seconds, according to court papers. It exploded when he pushed the lawnmower’s handles to move it forward, and troopers seized numerous pieces of shrapnel in the garage.

Sever was evicted in June after his failure to pay a monthly lease, according to Westmoreland County court records and police.

After searching the area for several weeks following the explosion, state police offered a $5,000 reward for information leading to Sever’s arrest.

Authorities were also searching for the cause of an Aug. 22 fire at the same property, deemed suspicious by investigators.