A Crafton man turned himself in to police Friday to face charges he sought revenge against the mayor by throwing a bomb into his yard.
Daniel Rusin, 43, of Glass Road, was arraigned before Crafton District Justice Dennis Joyce on charges of arson, risking a catastrophe, endangering another person, criminal mischief and retaliation for past official action.
Rusin threw a homemade bomb, equivalent to a half-stick of dynamite, at 10 p.m. April 1 into the yard at Mayor Ivan Hull's home, police said. Rusin was upset with Hull because he thought Crafton police were targeting his family's bar and arresting patrons for drunken driving, according to an affidavit that Crafton police Officer Fred Amendola filed with Joyce's office.
Hull denied there was any effort to target patrons of the bar, Mugshots in the Crafton Ingram Shopping Center. Rusin's brother and other relatives own Mugshots.
"It really doesn't make sense. I haven't been pushing for any DUI arrests," Hull said at a news conference at the Crafton Community Center.
"There just happens to be an aggressive bunch of young guys on the force who are looking for drunk drivers."
On Wednesday, Crafton police searched Rusin's summer cabin in Armstrong County, where they found several illegal firecrackers and explosives, including 74 M-80s and six M-200s, according to court documents. Police also found several dozen more-common fireworks such as sparklers and Roman candles.
Rusin was taken to the Allegheny County Jail in lieu of $10,000 bond.
The blast at Hull's home broke a basement window and damaged the siding, but no one was injured. Hull was not home at the time, but his daughter, Janet, was.
