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SALT LAKE CITY — A Salt Lake man has been charged with assembling a homemade explosive device and attempting to take it aboard a Greyhound bus.

A Utah Transit Authority officer attempted to stop Clifton Blanchard, 33, as he attempted to sneak aboard the bus at 250 S. 600 West on Feb. 5, according to charging documents filed in 3rd District Court Thursday. Blanchard appeared to be under the influence of a controlled substance and had been asked to leave the station several times, police said.

When the officer began a search of Blanchard's records, Blanchard announced, "I'm out of here" and attempted to leave. The officer attempted to stop Blanchard, who dropped onto his back in a fetal position.

After Blanchard was in custody, police searched his bag, finding marijuana, a pellet gun, a CO2 cartridge and knives, the charges state.

The bag also contained a package wrapped in duct tape with a nylon cord coming out of it, which Blanchard allegedly told police contained several items to make an improvised explosive device.

The package contained a CO2 cartridge, gun powder, matches, plus BBs and roofing nails to act as shrapnel, according to the charges.

A bomb squad retrieved the package, later determining that "had the matches at the end of the fuse been lit, the device would have functioned as an explosive device and propelled the shrapnel in all directions," the court documents state.

Blanchard is charged with use of a weapon of mass destruction, a first-degree felony; possession an explosive device, a second-degree felony; and carrying a concealed dangerous weapon or firearm to a terminal or bus, a third-degree felony. He is also charged with three class B misdemeanors — criminal trespass, interfering with an arresting officer and possession of a controlled substance.

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