Man accused of causing explosion still seeking bail

A 32-year-old man accused of causing an explosion in a residential area earlier this month hopes his second attempt to make bail is more successful than his first.

Shaun Hlavach was kept in custody following a bail hearing June 5 in Lethbridge provincial court, where he appeared by closed-circuit TV from the Lethbridge Correctional Centre.

The accused was back in court Thursday where an agent for his lawyer Claudia Connolly told the judge they will arrange as soon as possible to hold a bail review in Court of Queen’s Bench.

Hlavach is charged with intent to cause an explosion, and making or possession of explosives for an unlawful purpose. The charge stems from an incident about 1 a.m. June 2 in which police responded to two reports of a loud bang, believed at the time to be a gunshot, in the area of 17 Street and 9 Avenue South.

When police arrived they extinguished a small fire in an alley and determined because of the amount of debris that an explosive device had been detonated.

Police canvassed the neighbourhood, which led them to a residence in the 800 block of 16 Street South where they arrested two men. Although Hlavach was charged, the other man found at the residence was released without charges.

During a search of the residence later in the day, police seized explosive material found in the basement suite.

The matter returns to court July 5.