Pipe bomb suspect identified by Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office

CORRALITOS — Local authorities have identified the man who was apprehended on Freedom Boulevard near the Corralitos area earlier this week after a pipe bomb was allegedly discovered in his vehicle during a traffic stop.

Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Ashley Keehn told the Sentinel that 31-year-old Santa Cruz resident Zantz Blanton was booked in the county jail and charged with illegal possession of ammunition, carrying a concealed weapon in a vehicle, possession of a destructive device, resisting or deterring an officer and possession of a controlled substance while armed, all of which are felonies. Blanton also faces a misdemeanor charge of resisting/obstruction and possession of controlled substances, along with six additional sentencing enhancements.

According to court documents, Blanton pleaded not guilty to all charges at his arraignment Friday.

Blanton was stopped by Sheriff’s Office deputies at approximately 4 p.m. Tuesday near the 2600 block of Freedom Boulevard for a vehicle code violation, according to Keehn. During the stop, the agency’s K-9 unit became alert to something in Blanton’s vehicle, which prompted the deputies to conduct a search. During the search, Blanton allegedly attempted to flee the scene, but was quickly tracked down and taken into custody after a brief struggle.

The Sheriff’s Office says the search continued and resulted in discovery of a loaded gun and suspected narcotics, in addition to the pipe bomb. Deputies closed a portion of Freedom Boulevard while they called in the bomb squad, which ultimately safely detonated the explosive device.

This week’s incident was not Blanton’s first run-in with the law. According to the Santa Cruz County Superior Court website, Blanton has a record dating back to 2013, including at least two felony cases in 2023 and 2022 for possession, purchase and ownership of a firearm, carrying a concealed and loaded firearm and attempted burglary.

In 2023, Blanton plead guilty to a felony count of carrying a loaded firearm and received a 16-month state prison sentence in 2024. He served 250 days, according to court documents.