Court docs: Idaho DOC parolee threatened to kill family, lit fuse of explosive in Pullman

PULLMAN, Wash. – New court documents filed in Whitman County detail the situation at a Pullman apartment complex Sunday evening that led to the discovery of potential explosives and an arrest.

According to a probable cause affidavit, Pullman Police Department responded to an apartment on northeast Morton St. after a woman called to report her intoxicated uncle was trying to burn the house down. The first officer to arrive on scene could hear screaming coming from inside and smelled smoke when he entered.

Inside the apartment, the officer found the suspect, Apollo Lawyer, standing with a bloody face and his arms raised in surrender.

Lawyer told officers he was like an uncle to the children at the residence and had arrived on Saturday. He said when he woke Sunday morning, he began drinking and was ‘attacked’ by the children because he hadn't been around in several months.

At the time of the incident, 11 people were in the residence in addition to Lawyer, six of whom were children. One of the apartment's occupants said Lawyer got aggressive with her 15-year-old daughter, and she told him to leave, after which he held up a black object shaped like a ball with a fuse about two or three feet long.

The witness told officers Lawyer attempted to light the fuse with a lighter, yelling things like, "I’m a piece of s**t," and, "Everyone's going to die with me." She said she thought it was bomb and began ordering Lawyer to get out. Several of the other witnesses grabbed onto Lawyer in an attempt to keep him from lighting the fuse.

A sergeant who arrived later smelled burnt plastic inside the apartment and saw a dark-colored backpack inside. The bag was open, and pipes with galvanized steel endcaps wrapped with electrical tape were visible.

The witness brought cylindrical object downstairs while everyone evacuated and set it down on the second set of stairs. It had around six inches of paracord extending from it.

A daughter of the witness told officers Lawyer threatened to kill everyone in the residence and lit the fuse of the device, setting it down in the living room with the fuse burning. Investigators saw a burnt area on the carpet consistent with a burning fuse.

The witness's other daughter described Lawyer lighting cooking spray on fire with his lighter, burning a circular mark into the floor. He then slammed her hand in a door, which medics believe likely broke her hand. She told officer Lawyer had taken a swing at her and missed before her boyfriend stepped in, putting Lawyer in a chokehold. However, Lawyer escaped and "beat the crap" out of her boyfriend. She saw the apparent pipe bombs as Lawyer went to gather his things.

A search of the residence by police turned up three improvised devices. Two of them contained granular substance which burned when lit, indicating explosive potential. A one-pound jar of rifle powder was also found, in addition to several cut shotgun shells. Four uncut shotgun shells and over a dozen .300 rifle cartridges were found in Lawyer's duffle bag.

Lawyer admitted the rifle rounds were his, and an old rifle was found in the laundry room, which he said he’d handled. He denied threatening anyone or lighting a fire.

No charges have been filed at this time, though Lawyer is expected to face first-degree assault with a deadly weapon, first-degree burglary, first-degree arson, first-degree malicious placement of explosives, harassment with death threats, and unlawful possession of a firearm. He is also on active parole with Idaho's Department of Corrections and will likely be found to be in violation due to this incident.

Lawyer remains in custody with a $100,000 bond. He will need to use a "scram" device to track him if he bails out.