Photo: machete and Molotovs
BERKELEY — A 43-year-old man caught walking around with a machete and homemade bombs has been arrested. He is accused of throwing a Molotov cocktail at a train passing through Berkeley a few days earlier.
Police were on the lookout for Marty Schwind. Officers attempted to detain him on May 30, when he allegedly threw bottles filled with gasoline at a train. This only resulted in minor damage.
Officers contacted him in Aquatic Park near the train tracks. When they attempted to detain him, he brandished a machete and ran away. Then he managed to avoid further contact with police until June 5th.
It was early evening when an officer spotted him walking along Fourth Street, a short distance from the train tracks. Backups were called and Schwind was taken into custody at 8:46 p.m.
In his possession, police found two Molotov cocktails, one machete and one small knife. The machete is believed to be the same one brandished at officers on May 30th.
Schwind was booked for possession of an explosive device near a train and use of an explosive. He was also booked for assault with a deadly weapon, possession of drug paraphernalia, a robbery, and resisting an officer.
He remains in custody at Santa Rita Jail in lieu of $410,000 bond, pending a plea hearing on June 25th.
Schwind has prior felony convictions, and recent arrests for assault, robbery, and other offenses.