WEST BOUNTIFUL, Utah, April 27, 2027 (Gephardt Daily) — An evacuation announced Monday for an area of West Bountiful where explosives were found has been lifted.
Explosives crews are lingering at the scene, but residents have been cleared to safely return to their homes.
The evacuation was effective as of 10 a.m., and was lifted at 12:09 p.m., West Bountiful City announcements says.
“Public Safety officials ask residents in a limited area near 1100 West and 1400 North to evacuate immediately while they remove nearby explosives,” the initial alert said. It was posted on social media and also sent to some residents’ phones, they said in posts.
Arrests
An arrest document filed Saturday for 80-year-old Dwayne Raymond Hughes says there was a domestic violence incident between the homeowner and his son 51-year-old son, Spencer Dean Hughes.
Spencer Hughes is accused of using an excavator to knock down a tree on his father’s property, which fell and damaged a shed and a 2,500 gallon diesel tank.
“During his arrest, the son uttered that his father possessed explosives on his property,” says the arrest document for the elder Hughes.
“The arresting Sergeant, after booking the son into jail, responded to the father’s home to corroborate this claim. He successfully made contact with the homeowner, who consented to a quick search of his backyard.
“The homeowner accompanied the Sergeant and showed him a container housing a collection of dynamite, stored directly adjacent to a 2,500 gallon tank of diesel fuel. An empty box with an explosives placard was also observed in the yard, indicating the potential presence of primary explosive devices.
“The Davis County Bomb Squad was notified and they responded to help mitigate the public safety concern.”
Other children of Dwayne Hughes said “their father stored blasting caps and other explosive devices somewhere inside of his residence, specifically mentioning a filing cabinet of some sort,” the arrest document says.
“From additional inquiries and investigative observation from the bomb squad, they learned that the dynamite was manufactured in the 1980s and had likely been stored on the arrestee’s property for an undisclosed period without proper authority.”
A search warrant was obtained, and the bomb squad entered the residence.
“During the execution of the warrant, illegal fireworks were discovered in the home. The arrestee was booked into Davis County Jail for all offenses.”
Dwayne Hughes was arrested for investigation of:
- Explosive/chemical/incendiary — possessing, a second-degree felony
- Reckless endangerment, a class A misdemeanor
- Unlawful purchase possession of fireworks, a class B misdemeanor
Dwayne Hughes was ordered held without bail.
Spencer Hughes was arrested for investigation of property damage with damage/destruction of more than $5,000, listed as a second-degree felony. He was released on his own recognisance pending further court actions.
Gephardt Daily will share additional information on court cases as they develop.
