A Florida traffic stop took a terrifying turn when a routine search triggered an explosion that sent a deputy to the hospital — and now the man behind the wheel is facing two decades behind bars.
Charles Legault, 62, was pulled over by Putnam County deputies on April 5, 2024. According to authorities, the officer asked to search his vehicle after catching a whiff of marijuana. Legault reportedly agreed.
But what the deputy didn’t know was that Legault had allegedly built a PVC pipe bomb containing brake fluid and chlorine, hidden inside the car. During the search, the device detonated.
The blast caused respiratory distress, and the deputy had to be rushed to a local hospital for treatment. Officials say his vest absorbed much of the shrapnel, likely preventing more serious injury.
Inside the vehicle, investigators reportedly found methamphetamine, ammunition, a suppressor, and loaded magazines. A search of Legault’s home also led to his roommate’s arrest after meth and firearms were allegedly discovered there.
In May, Legault pleaded no contest to a slew of charges including making and possessing a destructive device, armed meth trafficking, and carrying a concealed firearm during a felony. On July 17, a judge handed down a 20-year prison sentence.
With a homemade bomb, hidden drugs, and a deputy caught in the blast zone, what more could have been lurking inside that car?