Family narrowly escapes roadside bomb explosion

BURIEN, Wash. (KING) – A Washington state radio DJ and his family are traumatized after narrowly escaping a fiery explosion while driving down the highway in an incident that was captured on video.

John Richards, a radio DJ for KEXP’s morning show, and his 11-year-old son had just picked up his wife from the airport on Friday and were heading home around 5:30 p.m. when an object that looked like a ball fell into the road in Burien.

“The soccer dad in me is (like) a soccer ball, so I slow down a little because a kid is possibly going to chase that ball. Then in a second I turn to my wife and say, ‘That’s a bomb,’” Richards said.

Richards and his family were just meters away from the object when it detonated. Surveillance video of the incident shows the explosion behind their car.

“Thank God I didn’t get here a second earlier,” Richards said. “Maybe it’s not funny, but it’s watching Bugs Bunny. It trained me more than anything else.”

No one in the family was injured, but the incident still had consequences, leaving Richards’ son traumatized. The father says his car was also slightly damaged.

“The three of us were — it’s like a movie when you’re a little stuffy, and we came out absolutely in shock,” Richards said. “Headache and we had ringing in our ears for a few days, which just went away.”

After the incident, he was left with many questions – but mainly, who did it and why?

“I fear this will happen again. Why wouldn’t this happen again?” he said.

Based on the video, a retired police officer with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives said the white smoke indicates the device was likely made of gunpowder and was likely homemade.

The investigation is ongoing. Police have not announced any arrests in the case.

However, the next day, two men were arrested on Interstate 90 after police said one of them tried to light a bomb while running from officers. It is unclear whether the incidents are connected.