Three arrested in Vista explosions

Three people were arrested early Saturday in connection with a string of explosions in Vista on Wednesday.

The arrests were made after midnight after county sheriff ’s deputies attempted to pull over a car on North Santa Fe Avenue, just north of East Drive.

Deputies chased the car for 2 miles after the driver took off, and passengers started throwing explosive devices out of the vehicle’s windows, according to a news release from the Sheriff ’s Department.

The car stopped on Queens Way in an unincorporated area of Vista. Detectives with the sheriff’s bomb/arson unit collected two explosive devices along the pursuit route and rendered them safe.

A search warrant was served on the car and a house near the location of the initial traffic stop. Deputies seized explosive devices, bomb-making materials, a preparation station, rifles, handguns and ammunition, authorities said.

Three children, including a baby, were found in the house, and none were hurt. County Child Protective Services was notified, and relatives took custody of the 14-year-old boy, 7-year-old girl and the infant.

The first blast was reported around 11:30 a.m. Wednesday on East Vista Way near Anza Avenue, and the second was about 1:25 p.m. on East Drive near North Santa Fe Avenue, a little more than a mile from the first blast.

The last explosion was around 2:40 p.m. on East Drive near Woodrail Drive, about a quarter-mile from the second blast.

The investigation is continuing, but there appeared to be no specific target for the explosions, according to the news release. No one was hurt and no property was damaged in the incidents.

One suspect, age 25, is facing charges of possessing a destructive device near a church and on public streets, possessing material with intent to make explosives, exploding a device with intent to terrify, felony evading and child endangerment.

Two other suspects, ages 21 and 22, are facing charges of being accessories after the fact and child endangerment.

Details about what led to the arrest were not provided, but the news release thanked the public for providing tips, including a surveillance video from a security camera that helped identify a black car seen in one of the explosion locations.