Thousand Oaks man arrested after homemade bomb explodes in hands: sheriff

A Thousand Oaks man was arrested by sheriff’s deputies Tuesday afternoon after a homemade bomb detonated inside his home and injured his hands.

It happened around 3:30 p.m. at a home on the 2000 block of Hendrix Avenue in Thousand Oaks, the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office said.

Deputies responded to the scene after reports of an explosion and found 66-year-old David Kornbluth with minor injuries to his hands. It was determined that he was handling explosive materials that ignited inside his home, causing the explosion.

Kornbluth was transported to a local hospital for treatment and was later released.

Due to concerns over public safety, authorities conducted a search of the residence and found additional materials suspected to be explosive in nature. The Sheriff’s Office Arson/Bomb Unit and the Ventura County Fire Department assisted in securing the scene.

Detectives later obtained a search warrant and found additional items that they say are “consistent with creating explosives.” The materials were seized as evidence, and authorities determined that the home and surrounding neighborhood were safe.

After being released from the hospital, Kornbluth was taken into custody and booked into jail to await charges for possessing materials for creating an explosive device. He currently is in custody on $100,000 bail.

The Sheriff’s Office is reminding residents to remain vigilant and report suspicious activity to Sheriff’s Dispatch at 805-654-9511. Ventura County Crime Stoppers offers a reward of up to $1,000 for information that leads to an arrest and criminal complaint. Anonymous tips can be provided online or by phone.