Posted on 03/14/2003 12:40:15 PM PST by Doomonyou
Two men arrested in Petaluma bombing spree
March 14, 2003
By TOBIAS YOUNG
THE PRESS DEMOCRAT
Two Petaluma men caught themselves on videotape Thursday celebrating a 21st birthday by setting off homemade bombs around town, police said.
Most of the bombs went off without causing significant damage, including some thrown into the Petaluma River, but one caused about $10,000 damage to a fountain outside St. Vincent de Paul Church, authorities said.
Chunks of concrete from the top tier of the fountain went flying, landing as far as 150 feet away on sidewalks and lawns, police said.
"I would think they'd consider a church a sacred place, but I guess not," said Rose Marie Woodruff, a pastoral associate at St. Vincent.
The men were caught after igniting at least five crude but powerful pipe bombs, and after making an obscene gesture to an undercover officer who said he watched as they blew up railroad ties and rubble, police said.
Arrested on suspicion of vandalism and possession of explosives were Jose L. Solorio and Eric VanBorsik, both 21.
Petaluma Police Sgt. Ralph Evans said six similar bombs were found in a backpack belonging to one of the suspects. Solorio tossed another into the bushes when they were confronted by officers, Evans said.
Police said the videotape follows the suspects as they celebrated VanBorsik's birthday at a house in Petaluma, then during an after-midnight walk through downtown while drinking beer.
On the video, they throw two explosives into the river off the Balshaw footbridge.
The video documents their walk to a convenience store, then follows them to the church where they recorded the fountain explosion with water shooting into the air as one of them says to duck for cover.
They went next to a downtown bar, and then detonated two more bombs near the Petaluma River Turning Basin, police said.
It was there that undercover officer Dennis Nowicki saw the men while on assignment with the Sonoma County Auto Theft Task Force, Evans said.
The bombs, while crudely made, were dangerous, Evans said. "They easily could result in loss of limb or loss of life," Evans said.
The Sonoma County bomb squad was dispatched to destroy the devices. Evans said bomb squad investigators told him they are seeing more of the altered carbon-dioxide cannisters, the type of explosive the suspects are accused of using.
Evans said the suspects were drinking throughout the night. Solorio refused to be tested for his alcohol level, but VanBorsik's blood-alcohol level was measured at 0.25, about three times the level that a driver is considered drunk.
The church fountain, costing $34,000, was part of $120,000 improvement of a downtown plaza completed in 2001.
Evans, who attends the church, said it is painful for parishioners to see the damage.
"We don't believe it was a hate crime," he said. "We believe it was a random act. It's the senseless destruction of property, is what it is."
You can reach Staff Writer Tobias Young at 762-9498 or tyoung@pressdemocrat.com.
Well, I said "Hometown."
Only when discussing wrist wrestling
Who are those bozos, I don't recognize either name. Their families must be newcomers to the burg. And, you really shouldn't call it Petaluma, to natives it was always P'luma, Chickaluma (from the "Egg Basket of the World" claim of earlier years) or, when I was at PHS, Amazingville-on-Slough or Amazingville.
It was after much effort that then Congressman Don Clausen got the tidal esturay that runs up to P'luma from San Francisco Bay renamed from the Petaluma Slough to the Petaluma River. Time was, it was "the Slough" up a ways past the Washington Street bridge and the Petaluma Creek up beyond that when it changed from tidal to more or less (in the rainy season) running water on up through Denman Flat towards Penngrove and Cotati.
I see I need to make a trip downtown tomorrow!
Me either.
when I was at PHS,
What year? I graduated in 77.
It was after much effort that then Congressman Don Clausen got the tidal esturay that runs up to P'luma from San Francisco Bay renamed from the Petaluma Slough to the Petaluma River.
Well, it still looks and smells like a slough!
Now gather round and bend an ear
I'll tell you a story that'll shed a tear
A story that's know for miles around
A story 'bout old Petaluma town
Of the Petaluma Slough is what we sing
A terrible song about a terrible thing
Now as we go along, tell us what you think
'Cuz when we get through it'll really stink
Chorus:
Green, Blue, a Little Dirt Too
That's the color of the Petaluma Slough
Hi Ya! Hey ya! Hey You!
Whatcha gonna do 'bout the Petaluma Slough?
Down in the depths where its dark and black
You can hear the little fishies as they start to hack
They'll know better than to come this way
They'd be better off down in the bay!
Now why do the fishies have such a hard time?
It's because of all the oily slime
Left by the barges as they struggle on through
Petaluma! Petaluma Slough!
Chorus
The ol' city council held a meeting one night
They all agreed the Slough was a terrible sight
Big Bill Lee got up and said
The stench from the slough makes me wish I was dead!
Col Ned Davis waved his pinkies til he got the floor
He said what we need is a Yacht Harbor
They all agreed, they knew it was the thing
Just think of all the city suckers it might bring!
Chorus
Well, we got no suckers, and we knew what this meant
Petaluma was left without a cent
But we got ambitious and built it one night
Only thing wrong, we chose a terrible site
Back of Van Bebbers down on the Slough
When we tried to launch the boat, the car slid it too!
Chorus:
Green, Blue, a little DODGE too.... etc.
NO! That's Egg capital, and there aint no steenking Dixie chickens around here. As a matter of fact, there are not too many chickens around here either. (at least the bird type.)
I like it! I'll pass it along to my son, a freshman at Casa Grande High.
Does Winona Ryder count?
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