UC Davis chemist arrested after blast

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DAIVS, Calif., Jan. 20 (UPI) -- A University of California, Davis, chemist injured in an apartment blast is being held on felony charges of possessing explosive material, officials said.

David Snyder, 32, a Ph.D chemist employed as a junior researcher at the university injured his hand in an explosion Thursday that caused the evacuation of 74 residents from five on-campus residential buildings, the Sacramento Bee reported.

He is being held in the hospital in lieu of $2 million bond on felony charges of possessing an explosive, possessing materials with intent to create an explosive device and possession of firearms on campus. He will be held in jail once he recovers sufficiently from his injuries, the Bee reported.

A Yolo County bomb squad, the UC Davis police and other agencies were working to discover why Snyder's apartment allegedly contained explosive materials, officials said.

UC Davis Police Chief Matt Carmichael said there was no evidence Snyder was planning to harm anyone.

Authorities refused to say what the explosive materials were or what kind of firearms were found in Snyder's apartment, but Carmichael said there were no assault-type weapons.

Snyder has been placed on leave from his temporary job at a campus chemistry lab, university officials said.