A 46-year-old Texas man has been accused of planting miniature explosives under toilet seats at multiple locations of a local car wash company, Wash Tub Car Centres. Paul Moses Alden was arrested and charged with one count of arson resulting in reckless damage or bodily injury.
According to the San Antonio Police Department’s affidavit, three “small explosions” were set off under toilet seats at two of the car wash chains, resulting in one injury. The first two incidents occurred on July 19 and 20 at the Wash Tub on Bandera Road in Helotes, Texas, where customers reported hearing loud noises while using the restroom. A female customer was injured in the second incident and left the scene before a report was made. The police affidavit mentions, “The female customer was reportedly very upset and left the location before a report was made. The Helotes Police Department responded to the location to take the report and document the scene.”
Six days later, two more people were hurt at a separate Wash Tub facility in San Antonio. A female employee was injured when an explosion occurred while she was squatting on the toilet, and a little girl had the same scary experience in a separate bathroom minutes later, according to the New York Post report. Police collected physical proof of the small fireworks at both scenes.
Furthermore, the police report mentioned that the management at the car wash facility identified the accused as the suspect behind planting these fireworks/small explosives based on security camera footage, which showed him arriving at all three occurrences before the explosions with the same vehicle.
According to reports, security footage showed the accused leaving the toilet and staying in the vicinity until the bombs detonated. Wash Tub management later confirmed his identity using their customer records. Reports mention that Paul Moses Alden was arrested and freed the same day after posting a $50,000 bond.
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