A 58-year-old Bensalem man was pulled over by Middletown Township Police for driving erratically with police allegedly discovering an explosive mix of substances and devices; namely a incendiary device, methamphetamine and a meth pipe, earlier this month.
District Judge Daniel Baranoski arraigned Dimas Cardona on Friday March 21 on a single felony count of possession of a weapon of mass destruction, two misdemeanor drug offenses and five driver-related summary offenses. Unable to post 10 percent of $75,000.00 set by the judge, he was remanded to the custody of Bucks County Correctional Facility.
On Friday, March 7, 2025, at 9:01 p.m. Middletown Township Police were on patrol in the area of East Lincoln Highway and I-295, the Langhome section. The patrolling officer observed a silver Hyundai traveling at speeds exceeding 50mph in a posted 40mph zone. The vehicle was changing lanes aggressively, cutting off other vehicles, court records show. The patrolling officer activated his emergency lights and sirens and initiated a traffic stop a the area of E Lincoln Hwy and Durham Rd. When stopping, the driver initially pulled into the left lane from the right, before moving back into the right lane and pulling off into a parking lot, police said.
The officer approached on the driver’s side and made contact with the driver and sole occupant, identified as Cardona. The officer further observed the vehicle’s emission/inspection stickers to be expired since 2021, according to court records. While speaking with Cardona, he observed an open single serving container of “Fireball” alcoholic beverage in the center console cup holder. He also observed a switchblade style knife on the passenger seat within reach of Cardona. The officer ordered Cardona to exit the vehicle and not touch the knife. Cardona then picked up the knife and faced the officer while holding it. He ordered Cardona to drop the knife and exit the vehicle, police wrote in court records.
Cardona was directed to the back of the vehicle where a second officer was located. While walking to the back of the vehicle, Cardona allegedly began to put his right hand into his front pants pocket, and was directed to place his hands on the rear of the vehicle as he had already been observed holding a knife while in the vehicle. Cardona was patted down by the officer, and when beginning to pat down his right pants pocket, he moved his right arm back in an attempt to block his pocket. He was directed to put his hands back on the vehicle, and when patting down his pocket, the officer felt a cylindrical glass pipe with a sharp tip, which he immediately recognized as a pipe consistent with the use of smoking illicit substances
Cardona became briefly resistant and was subsequently placed into custody. During a search incident to arrest, police further located in his right pants pocket, where the pipe was allegedly located, a clear zip lock style bag containing a crystal rock substance, which, based upon the officer’s training and experience, resembles methamphetamine, according to court records.
Checking his information, Cardona was found to have a suspended driver’s license, said police.
During a police inventory search of the vehicle, located in the glove box was a red/gold/green grinder with residue and also a black cylinder device with a fuse protruding from the center. Based upon training and experience, officers recognized this as consistent with an alleged homemade explosive device, according to the probable cause.
The Philadelphia Bomb Squad was contacted to remove the device.
Philadelphia Police provided an initial report which positively identified the device as an “M” style device, approximately the size of an M-1000 which is referred to as a “quarter stick of dynamite”. The Bomb Squad investigator provided a report in which the powder substance located inside of the device reacted energetically when tested, according to criminal complaint.
On Tuesday last, Cardona had his bail reduced to 10 percent of $20,000 with a court hearing scheduled for April 2 and is, according to online county records, represented by Timothy J. Barton, Esq.
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