Arrest in East Side liquor store pipe-bombing

COLUMBUS – A man has been arrested in connection with a pipe-bomb explosion that damaged an East Side liquor store last month.

Fire investigators arrested Curtis Scarberry Saturday on a charge of unlawful possession of dangerous ordinance, a second degree felony, Battalion Chief Steve Martin said.

Curtis was released on a $20,000 bond at his arraignment Monday.

Firefighters were called by Columbus police officers to the rear of the Bexley Liquor Agency, 2173 Livingston Avenue, shortly after 12:30 a.m. on July 28th, Martin said.

Police responding to a burglary alarm at the store found damage to the rear of the building and what appeared to be evidence of a pipe bomb and called fire officials, Martin said.

The business suffered an estimated $1,000.00 in damage from the bomb and an unknown amount in lost business while the investigation kept the store closed.

Martin says the explosion is not related to a string of arson fires reported on the East Side at around the same time.