Thomas G. Kaiser, 55, was arrested and charged with second-degree possession of a destructive device for an unlawful purpose and one count of third-degree possession of a destructive device, the Middlesex County Prosecutor's Office announced in a news release around noon Monday, two hours after the parade was scheduled to commence.
Gov. Phil Murphy and first lady Tammy Murphy were scheduled to attend the parade, according to the public schedule.
The parade was scrapped after Kaiser, who makes homemade, firework-like devices, left a half dozen of the devices on his property, which is near the start of the parade route, authorities said.
"It is anticipated that additional charges will be forthcoming," according to a joint statement from the Middlesex County Prosecutor's Office and the Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office.
Police in Sea Bright in Monmouth County launched an investigation when a "suspicious package with a destructive device" was found at Donovan's Reef, an ocean-side bar and restaurant in Sea Bright, the statement reads. The probe led investigators to Kaiser, according to the statement.
Kaiser's brother told ABC station WABC-TV in New York that the ordeal started when Thomas Kaiser bought fireworks at a Jersey shore concert and, instead of bringing them into his home, left them in a cooler outside his house, where they were found by police.
"He was caught with fireworks," said Kaiser's brother, who did not want to be identified. "There were no bombs, nothing set in the streets, nowhere. They came, they searched his house with bomb explosive dogs. They found nothing in the house, found nothing anywhere in the vicinity."
The parade was expected to feature a line up of marching bands, Girl Scout and Boy Scout troops, stilt walkers, clowns, uni-cyclists, jugglers and vintage cars, according to organizers. The parade was sponsored by the South Plainfield Public Celebrations Committee
