Man charged with leaving bomb is training in Reserve

A $150,000 arrest warrant for a man charged with leaving a dangerous homemade bomb in his wife's Cary home was quashed Friday after his attorney reported that the suspect was out of state for military training.

McHenry County authorities had issued the warrant last week after Dominic Bender, 27, of Schaumburg, skipped a scheduled court appearance on three felony charges of unlawful use of weapons stemming from the explosives' discovery.

A judge agreed to void the warrant after learning Bender, an Army reservist, missed the court day because he had been called to training at Fort Meade in Maryland. Bender, however, must return to court Oct. 16 when, his attorney said, his training is complete.

Bender was charged with the three felonies after police discovered a two-pound homemade bomb in the basement of his estranged wife's home Nov. 16. The bomb, police said, was powerful enough to level the house and possibly damage nearby properties.

The discovery prompted authorities to evacuate several neighbors and led to the cancellation of classes for the day at nearby Prairie Hill School.