Makeshift Bombs Found in Pickup; 2 Held

Two North Hollywood brothers were arrested after California Highway Patrol officers found “improvised explosive devices” in their pickup truck near the Ventura Freeway in Tarzana, police said.

Daniel Hogan, 23, and his brother Kenneth, 29, were arrested late Thursday on suspicion of possession of an explosive device in a public place, Los Angeles Police Detective Richard Kensic said.

The brothers were traveling west on the Ventura Freeway about 11:30 p.m. when they were stopped at Tampa Avenue by CHP officers who had noticed that the pickup’s registration had expired, Kensic said.

The pickup left the freeway at Tampa Avenue and stopped underneath an overpass, Kensic said. The CHP officers then spotted the bombs in the pickup’s cab, he said.

Los Angeles police experts exploded the bombs inside the pickup about 2 a.m., Kensic said. Tampa Avenue was closed to traffic in both directions for about two blocks during the operation, he said.

Detectives still were investigating why the brothers had the explosives, Kensic said. He said he could not estimate their explosive power.

The brothers were being held in the West Valley Jail in lieu of $60,000 bail each, he said.