Santa Monica man charged with hurling Molotov cocktails onto streets
A Santa Monica man has been arrested on suspicion of throwing Molotov cocktails out of his car onto city streets, police said.
Korie Paul Schmidt, 31, was arrested Sunday for hurling the crude incendiary devices as he drove through the city the same day, authorities said. He’s being held at the North County Correctional Facility on $1.65-million bond, according to Los Angeles County sheriff’s jail records.
Santa Monica police could not be reached for comment.
But police officials told the Century City/Westwood News that they had received reports of a man throwing the homemade devices — made of flammable liquid — near Santa Monica and Pico boulevards. Police arrested Schmidt a short time later, the paper reported. Authorities said they found evidence in the vehicle that tied him to the incident.
The Los Angeles County district attorney charged Schmidt Wednesday with seven counts of possession of a destructive device, one count of possessing destructive device materials and two counts of possession of an explosive device with intent to destroy property, according to the criminal complaint.
Schmidt is secretary of the West Los Angeles-Sawtelle Neighborhood Council, according to a member of the board.
Schmidt’s next court date is scheduled for Feb. 5.
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