GOLDEN, Colo. – The four adult teenagers arrested and accused of throwing a “chemical bomb” at an Arvada police officer early Saturday morning, causing the officer to lose consciousness, were formally charged in the case and have since bonded out of jail.
The four adult suspects – Maxwell McCann, 18; Braiden Ulmer, 19; Isaac Koch, 19 and Gavin Dawson, 19 – were all formally charged Friday in a Jefferson County courtroom.
Both Dawson and McCann face seven felony counts in regard to the incident: possession of a chemical, biological or radiological weapon; conspiracy to commit possession of a chemical, biological or radiological weapon; second-degree assault; two counts of criminal attempt to commit second-degree assault; and two counts of felony menacing.
Ulmer faces four felony counts: possession of a chemical; biological, or radiological weapon; conspiracy to commit possession of a chemical, biological, or radiological weapon; criminal attempt to commit second-degree assault and conspiracy to commit menacing.
And Koch faces three felony counts: possession of a chemical; biological, or radiological weapon; conspiracy to commit possession of a chemical, biological, or radiological weapon; and conspiracy to commit menacing.
A juvenile is also facing charges in relation to the incident.
Police documents say the young men created the chemical concoction using brake fluid and pool shock that they bought from an area Walmart. A receipt with the purchase found by detectives led police to arrest the five suspects on Sunday after police reviewed surveillance video.
The officer who responded to the scene near West 68th Ave. and Beech Street early Saturday morning inhaled some of the chemical reaction and passed out. The officer was taken to a hospital and treated for chlorine gas exposure.
The suspects told police they were not targeting anyone in particular but “just d-ckin around with them,” according to arrest documents. Police said Maxwell admitted to throwing one of the devices toward the officer. He told detectives, from his reading on the internet he felt the gas from the bombs was not “very toxic or harmful.”
Dawson and McCann posted $10,000 surety bonds and Ulmer and Koch posted $5,000 surety bonds in the case and were out of jail Friday.
All four are scheduled for preliminary hearings on May 10, at which time a judge will decide if prosecutors have presented enough evidence to carry the felony charges forward to a possible trial.