AUSTIN, Texas — Editor's note: The above video was published in August 2023.
A man who brought a pipe bomb that went off in an Austin hospital parking garage in August has been sentenced to more than two years in prison.
According to court documents, Jonestown man Raymond Luke Garner, 39, parked his pickup truck in a parking garage at St. David’s Medical Center on Aug. 9, 2023. A short time later, there was an explosion in the back of his truck.
Investigators said the remains of a pipe bomb were found near Garner’s truck, as well as homemade high explosives, circuit boards and timers, electric matches and other items.
While he was detained by police, Garner allegedly asked someone to move a box out of his home. That box was later found to contain high explosives, precursor chemicals and electric matches, court documents said.
Garner admitted he was in possession of an unregistered destructive device, namely a pipe bomb, on Aug. 9. On Aug. 14, Garner was released into the custody of a federal agency, according to the Travis County Sheriff's Office.
In October, Garner pleaded guilty to one count of possession of an unregistered destructive device. He faced a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison.
On March 15, 2024, the U.S. Department of Justice said Garner has been sentenced to 30 months in prison for possessing the pipe bomb.
The investigation was led by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force, with help from the Travis County Sheriff’s Office, Austin Police Department, Austin Fire Department and Cedar Park Police Department.
"ATF is committed to investigating and holding accountable the persons responsible for explosives accidents involving the manufacture of illegal explosive devices which can result in serious injury, death, and extensive damage to property," Special Agent in Charge Mike Weddel with ATF's Houston Division said. "This incident serves as a prime example of the successful collaboration between all our law enforcement partners."