Editor's note: A Feb. 20 update to this story reflects that Woods' sentence included an order for 1,050 hours of community service. The story as originally posted gave an incorrect number of hours.

UC Davis police said a bomb squad safely removed explosive materials from a residence hall in the early morning hours of Jan. 3, the day before most students returned from the holiday break.

Police said they discovered the materials among freshman Eric Calman’s possessions in his room in the Tercero residence hall complex. Lt. Nader Oweis said officers secured a warrant to search the chemical engineering major’s room after learning of his arrest Dec. 26 on explosives charges in Imperial County, east of San Diego.

Calman could face criminal proceedings in Yolo County, too. At midweek, UC Davis police said they were still investigating and had not decided whether to ask the district attorney’s office to file charges related to the materials found in his room.

The incident marked the second time in a year that police found explosives in a residence hall. The first incident, which also occurred in the Tercero complex, led to the evacuation of some 455 students the night of March 5 while authorities safely removed the materials.

Police arrested Mark Christopher Woods in that case, and he is now serving a 150-day home-detention sentence, in Los Angeles County, for his guilty plea to a single felony charge.

Ammonium nitrate

Calman and four minors are under investigation in Imperial County for possession of ingredients to make a destructive device and possession of a destructive device near a public place, both felonies. Sheriff’s deputies arrested the suspects near the Plaster City off-road recreation area after they allegedly set off an explosion.

Imperial County sheriff’s Lt. Jerry DeMorst said the suspects were riding in two cars, and, in one of them, deputies found a 50-pound bag of ammonium nitrate, fuses and other materials that could be used to make pipe bombs.

Authorities said Calman posted $30,000 bail and is due to appear in Superior Court on Jan. 27.

When UC Davis learned of his arrest, police launched an investigation and called in the Yolo County Bomb Squad to assist in searching Calman’s room. The squad came with a police dog trained in explosives detection, and the dog alerted officers to the possible presence of explosive materials, Oweis said.

As for Calman’s status at the university, Student Affairs Vice Chancellor Fred Wood said privacy laws prevent him from commenting on a specific student. But, in general, Wood said, the university may immediately suspend a student from campus on an interim basis when there is a safety concern. “Safety is a top priority,” he said.

Students suspected of conduct that threatens health and safety are subject to disciplinary action by the university and to termination of their housing contracts.

In addition, when a criminal case leads to a student’s interim suspension or withdrawal, the student cannot return without going through the university’s disciplinary process. Sanctions may include suspension for several quarters or dismissal from the university.

Emily Galindo, director of Student Housing, said the housing contracts that students sign specifically prohibit them from having fireworks, ammunition or explosive materials in their rooms.

Last year’s incident

Last year, Woods left the university after his arrest in winter quarter, and he has not enrolled since then. In fact, by court order, as part of his sentencing, he must stay away from UC Davis, unless he has written consent.

Even if a student were allowed re-entry, the university would impose restrictions — including deferred dismissal, which means the student would be subject to immediate dismissal for any transgression, said Jeanne Wilson, director of Student Judicial Affairs.

For now, Woods is on home detention at his parents’ residence in Torrance, according to one of his two attorneys, Christopher Wing of Sacramento. As of early January, Woods was nearly two-thirds done with his sentence.

Officially, Superior Court Judge David Rosenberg sentenced Woods to 150 days in jail. But, as is customary in many cases, due to jail overcrowding, he was given the option of arranging for home detention with electronic monitoring, said Steve Mount, assistant chief deputy district attorney for Yolo County.

Rosenberg sentenced Woods on Sept. 24 after he pleaded no contest to a felony charge of unlawful possession of an explosive. Mount, who prosecuted the case, described a plea agreement under which the district attorney’s office dropped two other felony counts: possession of materials with intent to make a destructive device and possession of a destructive device in a public place.

A conviction on those charges would have resulted in a mandatory sentence in state prison, Mount said.

“He didn’t seem to have the intent to really harm anyone,” said Mount, explaining the decision to drop the more serious charges.

Court records identified some of the chemicals found in Woods’ room as ammonium nitrate, hydrogen peroxide, sulfuric acid and hexamine tablets. The records also noted the discovery of three empty metal pipes, one of which had been fitted with a magnesium strip, and one black PVC pipe.

As police Capt. Joyce Souza put it early in the investigation: Woods “had all the makings of a potentially destructive pipe bomb.” Nevertheless, police concluded that he did not intend harm to anyone.

Likewise, Wing said his client “absolutely did not intend to harm anyone.” Wing said Woods had gathered the chemicals for fireworks displays.

Voluntary withdrawal

Woods had been majoring in economics. After his arrest, he voluntarily withdrew from the university, Wing said.

Woods is creative and bright, “a kid who has a lot of potential,” and he would like to return to UC Davis, his attorney said. Wing added that he hopes the university will allow Woods to come back: “I hate to see opportunities wasted.”

While serving his time, Woods is allowed to leave his home for community service — he must put in 150 days (at seven hours per day, for a total of 1,050 hours) as part of his sentence. Wing said Woods’ community service so far includes tutoring and mentoring, and working at a library, and he plans to help out with Sunshine Kids, an organization that provides group activities and emotional support for children with cancer.

Rosenberg also ordered Woods to pay restitution of $14,005 for fire, police and bomb squad services.

The judge also restricted Woods’ access to UC Davis and put him on felony probation for three years. If he violates his probation, he can be sent to prison for up to three years.

If he successfully completes his home detention and community service, and pays restitution, he can seek the reduction of his felony conviction to a misdemeanor, no sooner than 20 months after his conviction.

This month’s issue of Aggie Family Pack features an article about Student Judicial Affairs.