DEPUTIES LOCATE TWO PIPE BOMBS DURING TRAFFIC STOP FOR NO TAG; ONE ARRESTED

Posted on May 6, 2025

WALTON COUNTY, FLA— A traffic stop leads to the discovery of two pipe bombs in Walton County. Now, one man is facing felony explosive and drug charges.

A man with a receeding hair line with brown goatee wearing an orange jump suit in front of a light blue back drop.

Walton County Sheriff’s Office deputies pulled over a car at Smith Road and Highway 90 early Tuesday with a cardboard tag that read, “PRIVATE”.

During the stop, the driver admitted to not having any identification. During a search of the vehicle, a birth certificate was located identifying the driver as Benjamin Adam Roach, 37, of DeFuniak Springs.

During a search of the vehicle, Roach was found to be in possession of methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia.

While conducting an inventory of the vehicle, two cylinder shaped objects were located. One was a piece of PVC with two caps on each end. The other was a cylinder object wrapped heavily with black electrical tape.

Two objects are lying on a gravel and sand surface, illuminated by a flashlight. On the left is a segmented white cylindrical object made of stacked parts, and on the right is a black, ribbed cylindrical object with a rounded tip.

When asked about the objects, Roach admitted that they had gunpowder in them. When asked specifically if the objects had a fuse, he initially said no, but then later said one did have a fuse.

At that time, the Bay County Bomb Squad and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives were notified and responded to the scene. After an investigation, the Bay County Bomb Squad advised that the two objects were indeed pipe bombs and disarmed them.

Roach was transported to the Walton County Jail, where he is charged with making a bomb, possessing explosives, possession of a controlled substance, tampering with evidence, possession of drug paraphernalia, and several other charges. As of this release, he has not been issued a bond.