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A Strathcona County man charged after police discovered an improvised explosive device (IED) during a traffic stop has a history of charges for possessing explosives and was previously accused in a 2021 homicide, court records show.

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In a phone call Friday, Alberta RCMP Cpl. Mathew Howell described the alleged IED found inside a vehicle in Sherwood Park earlier this week as a pipe bomb. While it wasn’t activated at the time, it was built in a way that could injure or kill people, Howell said.

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“If it blew up in a vehicle, depending on the amount of explosives … the vehicle itself can become part of the projectile and part of the bomb as well.”

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A Strathcona County RCMP officer patrolling a parking lot off of Pembina Road and Broadmoor Boulevard discovered the IED around 1:30 a.m. Tuesday. The officer ran the licence plate on a Buick Verano, and found the plate was not a match to the car and not attached to a registered motor vehicle.

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The officer pulled the Buick over and, according to an RCMP news release, found bear mace inside, as well as a knife the driver was allegedly trying to conceal.

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The man was arrested on scene. During a search of the vehicle, the officer allegedly found drug paraphernalia and an improvised explosive device. A supplied photo from RCMP shows a foam-insulated briefcase containing a large quantity of screws and wiring.

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Police said the immediate area, which included a gas station, had to be evacuated and the RCMP explosives disposal unit (EDU) was called in for assistance.

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The EDU unit determined the device was safe after testing. It was determined that while the contents of the device were energetic, the battery wasn’t connected.

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Howell said the investigation is still ongoing, and police can’t yet confirm whether the IED was built for the purpose of targeting a specific person or group of people.

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“We’re still trying to determine why this was built and what the end goal for it was,” said Howell.

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Suspect has history with explosives

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Anthony Timothy Walker, 36, was charged with 10 offences, including three counts of possession of weapon contrary to an order, two counts of possession of weapon for a dangerous purpose, and possession of an explosive.

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Court records show Walker has a history of charges involving explosives.

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In October and November 2021, Walker was charged with making or possessing an explosive device. He was sentenced to 120 days in jail for the case in October — in which he was alleged to have possessed a pipebomb — while the November charges were withdrawn.

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On Sept. 13, 2021, Mayerthorpe RCMP responded after human remains were discovered near Range Road 43, north of Township Road 560 in Lac Ste. Anne County. An autopsy confirmed the remains to be those of Blizzard, who had disappeared two months earlier.