Man accused of having bomb near school gets probation
By Times Staff Writer
Published June 16, 2005
A man who was charged with having a pipe bomb in his pickup truck as it was parked near Tarpon Springs Middle School has been sentenced to probation, according to court records.
Scott Charles Newcomer, 38, was arrested on a charge of making or possessing a destructive device after an incident in November when police said they found a 12-inch metal pipe bomb inside the glove compartment of his 1974 Chevrolet pickup. At the time, the truck was parked on Forde Avenue, behind the school's athletic fields. Newcomer, who was from California but was staying with family members in Tarpon Springs, told police he built the device for recreation, not to hurt anyone. Administrators locked the school down for about 17 minutes after a tip led authorities to discover the bomb. Newcomer pleaded guilty on June 1. A judge withheld a formal finding of guilt and placed him on 18 months' probation, according to court records.
