Groton ― Police arrested a 32-year-old man on a host of criminal charges Thursday following the discovery of several pipe bombs in a backpack he was carrying when he overdosed at a liquor store.

No one was injured in Thursday’s incident but Groton Town Police blocked off a section of Gold Star Highway, near Tollgate Road, while the state police bomb squad disabled the improvised metal explosive devices. Police said the two small pipe bomb devices contained “energized flash powder and small BBs.”

Benjamin D. Dahm, who was staying at the Ramada Inn at 156 Kings Highway in Groton, faces charges of first-degree criminal mischief, first-degree reckless endangerment and two counts each of illegal manufacture of a bomb, carrying a dangerous weapon and possession of explosives.

Dahm, with a dozen pending criminal cases from arrests in several different local jurisdictions, was arraigned in New London Superior Court on Friday where Judge Ernest Green imposed a $750,000 bond. Attorney Jennifer Rowe, Dahm’s appointed public defender, argued for a lesser bond amount, saying Dahm claimed he found the bag with the pipe bombs in an abandoned shopping cart outside of the liquor store.

Rowe also said the possession of pipe bombs is “outside his M.O.,” a reference to he string of misdemeanor crimes Dahm faces in other criminal cases.

Police, in an incident report, said Dahm wore the drawstring backpack into the liquor store when he had entered. Police said they did find a shopping cart outside of the store but also found a reusable plastic grocery bag matching one in the backpack in the hotel room where Dahm was staying with his girlfriend. No bomb making materials were located, however, police said.

Police first became aware of Dahm while responding to a medical call at 5 p.m. A man was experiencing seizures at the Star Discount Liquor Store at 518 Gold Star Highway, police said. First responders, which included police officers and emergency medical personnel from Groton Ambulance, found Dahm was having a suspected heroin or fentanyl drug overdose.

Dahm was given medical attention for his overdose symptoms. It was at that time that Groton Town Police officers said they noticed suspicious items in Dahm was carrying in his backpack, including pepper spray, a small piece of plastic wrapped pipe, several prescription bottles with Dahm’s name, and two small pipes, one wrapped in camouflage cloth wrapping with a cap on the end and a small fuse sticking out and another wrapped in a red bandana.

Prior to the arrival of state police, Groton Town Officer Andrew Collins said in his report that because of the proximity of the businesses adjacent to the liquor store and people around, he moved the devices to across the street to a vacant lot. Once on scene, the state police bomb squad determined the bombs were in fact real and disabled them.

Police said this is an isolated incident and there is no further threat to public safety. The reason why Dahm was carrying the pipe bombs is part of an ongoing investigation. The FBI is assisting in the investigation.

State Judicial records show Dahm has a dozen pending cases ranging from motor vehicle violations and petty larceny to criminal mischief and burglary. He also has several criminal convictions, along with a stint in prison, dating back to 2015 for charges that have included narcotics possession, criminal mischief, criminal trespassing and third-degree larceny.

He has previously been arrested by police in Ledyard, New London, Waterford and Groton, among other places, public records show.

In September of 2021, Dahm was arrested after a 16-year-old found Dahm, who was shirtless, in his home on Meeting House Lane in Old Lyme. Old Lyme police found Dahm hiding in a bedroom at the home. The Jeep Cherokee he was driving was parked in the garage of the home.

Last month, state police issued a Silver Alert that Dahm had gone missing. Dahm had a Montville address at that time.

g.smith@theday.com