Pop-bottle bombers named in warrants

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) - Three Calvin College students accused of setting off "pop bottle bombs" on campus were charged Monday with felonies that carry up to five years in prison.

But Calvin officials say the charges are too harsh, and are asking Kent County prosecutors to lower the charges or dismiss them altogether.

Drew Sikkema, 19, Don Mpindi, 18, and Nathaniel VanEck, 18, were named in warrants charging them with placing an explosive in a public place to alarm.

They will be arraigned Tuesday in Grand Rapids District Court. If convicted, they face up to five years in prison.

"It's pretty clear their intentions were not malicious or destructive," said John Witte, Calvin's Dean of Residence Life. "We didn't call the police that night necessarily to create a felony charge for anybody. We didn't know what we were dealing with."

Kent County Assistant Prosecutor Greg Boer said he plans to review the case and discuss it with Calvin officials before the office decides whether to amend or dismiss charges.

The three allegedly set off up to 12 so-called "pop-bottle bombs" late Friday -- tossing them out a dorm window into a courtyard.

Dry ice combines with other ingredients to increase pressure and cause the plastic bottles to explode.

"It's not an uncommon science experiment that even some of our chemistry professors have used as a demonstration," Witte said.

College officials say nobody was in the courtyard and nobody was hurt. The explosions, which drew the Grand Rapids bomb squad, shook students but caused no damage.

"(It was) a little bit of a college prank and a little curiosity sort of gone wrong," Witte said.

It's unlikely the incident would lead to serious disciplinary action against the students, who have no criminal records, he added.

"I don't see this case leading to a suspension," Witte said.

Not all Calvin students defended the three.

"They shouldn't have done it," Alex Mayer told 24 Hour News 8. "It was stupid. It was immature and they have to think of what exactly they're messing with. These are things that do blow up and can cause harm, can cause injury to people. Whatever happens to them is on their shoulders."

If convicted, the students would qualify for having the records sealed -- as long as they stay out of trouble.