Spokane Man Charged With Making Montana Bomb He Allegedly Wanted To Keep Woman From Living With Another Man

A man suspected of planting two bombs in a van in Montana was arrested Thursday in Spokane.

David Francis Chatrand, 37, of Spokane, was arrested at his workplace on federal charges of transporting bombs across state lines, and making bombs.

The bombs linked to the charges were found Wednesday in a parked van owned by the former husband of Chatrand’s former girlfriend.

Chatrand used to live in Butte, as did van owner Robert Ralph, 34, who was in Butte this week to visit relatives. Ralph was traveling from his home in California to Spokane, where he intends to reside with his ex-wife.

“The ex-girlfriend and the victim were in the process of working things out and the exboyfriend was trying to make sure that wouldn’t happen,” said Silver Bow County Sheriff John McPherson.

Chatrand was arraigned Thursday before a federal magistrate in Spokane, and waived extradition to Montana.

On Wednesday morning, Ralph called police after he saw several wires attached to a pint-sized can in the back seat of his van. An explosives team removed bombs from the back seat and from beneath the van’s rear axle. Both had been wired to the van’s ignition, and McPherson said it appears liquid in the bombs was gasoline.

Ralph observed the wired can on the seat after he had trouble starting the van. When the vehicle finally started, he heard a clicking sound and looked at the back seat.

Chatrand was arrested after investigators interviewed Ralph, his relatives and relatives of his ex-wife.

, DataTimes