Federal ATF agents now investigating Cary car bomb
CARY, N.C. (WTVD) -- Federal investigators and the Cary Police Department are working to learn who might have placed an explosive device on an SUV that blew up Thursday afternoon as a man drove down a town street.
It happened around 4:30 p.m. on Glade Hill Drive near Middle Creek High School. The area is in an Apex mail zone, but is in the Town of Cary's police jurisdiction.
The driver of the SUV left his house on Moneta Lane in his blue Ford Explorer. He was about a mile from his house when a device exploded.
"I have vandalization to my car. I guess you would say attempted murder. I don't know," said the man in a call to 911.
Click to listen to the 911 call
He told the dispatcher he was bruised but otherwise unhurt.
Police said they believe it was an isolated event and there is no immediate threat to the public.
At least 10 homes near the Ford Explorer were evacuated while authorities investigated the package and vehicle. The evacuated residents were allowed back into their homes just before 11 p.m.
Stefan Morczkiewicz was getting his 8-year-old son Cole ready for taekwondo practice when they heard a loud boom.
"It was a real loud boom, kinda shook the house a little bit," Stefan told ABC11.
"So I go out to see what happened and I see this blue SUV," Cole said.
"And I saw some smoke, don't know where the smoke came from- but a big cloud of smoke came out of the vehicle," said Stefan.
He thought the engine on the SUV had blown up, but when Cary Police arrived just minutes later, the Morczkiewiczes knew it was much more than car trouble.
"(Police) said 'Hey you guys gotta get out of here, there's an IED on this thing.'" Stefan explained. "I'm thinking Iraq or something's coming to Glade Hill Drive."
At around 5:45 p.m. Optimist Farm Road was shut down between Pierce Olive Road and West Lake Road as authorities prepared for the arrival of a Fort Bragg bomb squad.
Police told us they're classifying the driver as a victim.
