Delaware State Police say a routine check on a driver’s welfare Wednesday afternoon in Dover resulted in an arrest after suspected narcotics and a homemade explosive were discovered in a pickup truck.
The encounter unfolded around 4:30 p.m. on October 22, 2025, in the 4000 block of Forrest Avenue. Troopers who were in the area on an unrelated matter noticed a man slumped over and snoring in the driver’s seat of a pickup parked in a driveway with the door open. As they approached to ensure he was okay, officers saw in plain view a blue wax bag commonly associated with heroin packaging.
After waking the driver, troopers identified him as 39-year-old Bradley Buchman of Dover. He was taken into custody without incident. A subsequent search turned up approximately 33 wax bags containing 0.99 grams of suspected heroin and two additional bags with about 14 grams of suspected methamphetamine. Investigators also reported finding drug paraphernalia and what appeared to be a homemade explosive device inside the vehicle.
Specialists from the Delaware State Police Explosive Ordnance Disposal Team and the Delaware State Fire Marshal’s Office examined the item and confirmed it to be an improvised explosive device (IED).
Buchman faces multiple drug charges, including Possession of a Controlled Substance Tier 2 Quantity (Felony). The Fire Marshal’s Office later charged him with Possession of an Explosive Device (Felony). He was initially released on an unsecured bond for the drug offenses, then subsequently committed to Sussex Correctional Institution on a $5,000 cash bond related to the explosive device charge.
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