Crime

Police: Wakefield man with suspended license found with bomb in his car on I-95 in Woburn

Christopher Graziano, 46, was initially stopped by police for a marked lanes violation, authorities said.

By Christopher Gavin

1 minute to read

A traffic stop on Interstate 95 in Woburn early Sunday morning ultimately led authorities to discover a bomb in the car driven by the Wakefield man they had pulled over.

Massachusetts State Police troopers on the highway’s northbound side stopped Christopher Graziano, 46, for a marked lanes violation around 3:20 a.m., according to a statement from a state police spokesperson. Troopers also learned Graziano’s license was suspended four years ago.

Graziano was allowed to leave the scene, and troopers arranged to have his 2006 Toyota Camry towed.

“While doing an inventory of the vehicle prior to tow, Troopers located a cylindrical object in the car… Troopers brought the object back to the State Police-Danvers Barracks and, upon further inspection, contacted the State Police Bomb Squad,” the statement said.

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State Police Sgt. Paul Horgan determined the object was “an explosive/incendiary device consisting of a capped vessel containing a road flare, fireworks, powder, match heads, a ball bearing and several .22 caliber bullets,” police said.

On Sunday, around 4:30 p.m., troopers from the Danvers Barracks and the State Police Bomb Squad, along with Wakefield police, went to Graziano’s Spring Street home and found him in his front yard, officials said.

“He was taken into custody and charged with possession of explosives and possession of ammunition without a Firearm Identification Card, along [with] the motor vehicle charges from earlier in the morning (marked lanes violation/operation after suspension),” state police said.

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According to court documents reviewed by WHDH, Graziano told police “he picks up other people’s trash sometimes and found the device. [The suspect] stated he thought it was just a road flare and he [stated] he would never try to make something like that or harm anybody.”

Graziano was held overnight Sunday and was slated to be arraigned in Woburn District Court Monday morning.

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