A man who sparked a bomb scare outside an East Harlem NYPD stationhouse has been criminally charged, cops said Thursday.
Chontrell Wrenick, 50, has been hit with multiple weapon possession raps as well as charges of reckless endangerment and assault for the bizarre series of events that led to police finding an explosive device inside his car.
The explosive — a pipe affixed to two aerosol cans — was a viable device that could have killed or maimed people had it detonated, an NYPD spokesman said Thursday morning.
The bomb was found in Wrenick’s car after he allegedly hit his cousin with a machete as they argued inside the car Wednesday. The cousin suffered a bruise and small cut to the head.
The wounded cousin drove Wrenick to the 25th Precinct stationhouse near E. 119th St. and Lexington Ave. in East Harlem about 11:50 a.m. and told cops outside about the attack.
When the officers took Wrenick into custody they were told there was a bomb in the car.
Officers called the NYPD’s Emergency Services Unit, who in turn called the NYPD Bomb Squad. The street was cordoned off as an NYPD Bomb Squad member in a blast suit picked up the device and brought it to a disposal truck.
Cops were getting a search warrant for Wrenick’s home Thursday to see if he had any other explosives there..
Wrenick’s arraignment in Manhattan Criminal Court was pending Thursday.
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