Santa Clara bomb squad detonates homemade bomb

SANTA CLARA, Calif. (KGO) -- In the South Bay there was a bizarre and dangerous discovery Tuesday night at a man's home. For many of his neighbors, it doesn't come as too big a shock.

Santa Clara bomb squad says the homemade bomb and the bomb making materials found were too unstable, so they dug a hole in the man's front yard, buried all the material, covered it with sandbags, and blew it all up early Tuesday evening.

SKY7HD flew over the house on Humbolt Avenue and Moraga Street and authorities say neighbors are lucky nothing in the house exploded before Tuesday.

"We're glad there wasn't any detonation in this neighborhood and yes, it potentially could have been catastrophic," said CHP Ofc. Sean Kennedy.

Neighbors identified the man as 45-year-old Everett Basham and for at least 20 years they say he lived the Santa Clara home, but barely said a word to them.

"Like he wasn't all there, you know. Talking about random stuff, and he's got all those antennas at his house, surveillance cameras, and he keeps to himself," said neighbor Raja Sidhu.

Sidhu, who lives across the street, says Basham's car is also packed with electronic devices and he once told him why he has the antennas mounted on his roof top.

"How he was using his antennas to broadcast from the satellite television up to some people living in the mountains. Just weird stuff like that," said Sidhu.

Neighbors say he only wears camouflage and claims to be ex-military.

"I guess in his backyard he has big barrels of I don't know what's in it," said neighbor Marlene Cristobal.

Santa Clara County jail says Basham was wanted for making a threat against a public official, which is what led to the search warrant. He was also arrested for carrying a concealed weapon and detonating an explosive device, but police won't say exactly when or where that happened.

The day-long investigation started at 1:30 p.m., but by 11 p.m. residents were allowed to go back into their homes.

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