University Police said officers discovered a pipe bomb in the car of a Madison resident Thursday morning and shut down a section of Monroe Street for several hours while the Dane County Bomb Squad disarmed the weapon.
Around 1 a.m., a passerby called police to report that a street sign on the 1400 block of Monroe Street had been hit by a car. Law enforcement officers arrested the driver, 36-year-old Robb W. White, for operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated. The homemade bomb was discovered during a standard search of the car.
University Police Lt. Todd Kuschel said White told officers at the scene that the device was dangerous.
\He said there was explosives in it,"" Kuschel said.
University and Madison Police closed off Monroe Street between Regent and Randall Streets for about three hours.
Kuschel added that the device has been sent to the State Crime Lab for further examination.
District Attorney Brian Blanchard said the case has not yet reached his office.
""I don't know where the case is in the system. There was an arrest ... so I don't know where it is in terms of charging,"" Blanchard said.
White, who was charged at Dane County Jail with possession of explosives, a felony, in addition to the OWI booking, will probably have a bail hearing Friday, Blanchard said.
""If ... it's a felony, there will be a bail hearing,"" he said. ""An attorney on his behalf would take a position.""
Kuschel said White's intention for the bomb is unclear, but it does not appear that he had an accomplice in using the device.
""There's no indication that there was anybody involved except him,"" he said.
Kuschel said police discovered White and the bomb after bystanders called to report White's accident.
""There were witnesses who had been driving by,"" he said.
A possession of explosives charge carries a maximum fine of $10,000 and 15 years imprisonment.
