Rowan County Traffic Stop Reveals Weapons Of Mass Destruction

ROWAN COUNTY, N.C. – Deputies with Rowan County Sheriff’s Office discovered several pipe bombs while searching a suspect’s vehicle, according to a police report.

The report states that while conducting a traffic stop in a gas station parking lot on January 22, 2024, a deputy requested a K-9 after the vehicle operator, Christopher McDaniel, acted extremely nervous. The Sheriff’s Office said that the K-9 alerted to the presence of narcotics, resulting in deputies searching the vehicle and finding several pipe bombs in the glove box.

The gas station was evacuated and the Cabarrus County Sheriff’s Office Bomb Squad responded to the scene and the pipe bombs were detonated, according to the deputies. They further stated that methamphetamine, a glass smoking pipe and ball bearings were found.

The Sheriff’s Office said they received information of where McDaniel was making pipe bombs, but no materials were found after searching the locations.

McDaniel was charged with no operators license, no financial responsibility, expired registration, possession of weapons of mass destruction, possession of methamphetamine and possession of drug paraphernalia.