Plano police find Molotov cocktail at assault suspect's home

Plano police say a 26-year-old may face federal charges after officers found a Molotov cocktail at his home.

Robert Buch remains in jail awaiting those potential new charges.

On top of all that, he's also accused of assaulting a police officer and his own mother.  

It started out as a possible family violence case that grew into something bigger, with police looking for reasons a 26-year-old man would have had a Molotov cocktail and the components that they say to make more.

Police say the department received a call to a west Plano home, where Buch's mother said her son assaulted her and tried to keep her from calling 911 over a strong smell of gasoline in the garage.

When officers arrived, Buch had taken off, and police began a search after checking out the garage. 

“I know they have a device that's believed to be a Molotov cocktail,” said Officer David Tilley with the Plano Police Department. “There are other items that were collected that were items typically that could be used to make explosive devices. That’s the reason we took it seriously.” 

Police tracked Buch to a martial arts studio where he practiced off and on for years. 

The owner says Buch had a key and no one else was there when police arrived Friday, arresting Buch and opening an investigation that they say may now involve the feds. 

“When you've got somebody who is possessing items of his nature, you really don't know what their intent is and that's part of our investigation, trying to figure out, where was this going to go?” said Tilley.

The confrontation between police and Buch took place in the parking lot of a shopping center where the martial arts studio is.

“The suspect did not comply with their commands and in fact actually charged and attacked one of our officers, and that's when the other officers joined in and were able to…you know, they had to wrestle with him,” said Tilley.

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