Music mixing board mistaken for bomb at local shopping center

[alocispepraluger102]

Article published Apr 19, 2006

Music mixing board mistaken for bomb at local shopping center

By Mark Caudill

News Journal

MANSFIELD -- Sam Romagnoli's portable mixing board won't be of much use to him after being blasted with a water cannon.

Romagnoli, a local musician, unwittingly touched off a bomb scare Saturday by leaving his mixing board in a box in the West Park Shopping Center parking lot. He had a karaoke gig at the China Club the night before.

"It was just a crazy mistake on my part that set all this in motion," Romagnoli said.

Police received a call at 7:10 a.m. about a "suspicious" case with duct tape on both ends. Police contacted the Ashland County Bomb Squad, which took X-rays of the case, then opened it with a water cannon.

Mansfield police Lt. Dave Nirode explained the action. "It had some indicators (of being a bomb)," he said. "If you open it up, a lot of those have an anti-theft device."

Police barricaded the scene and evacuated businesses.

"It's just a result of the times," Nirode said. "It's better to be safe than sorry."

Romagnoli didn't learn of the bomb scare until later that day when his wife called him.

"I'm thinking that sounds a whole lot like my mixer case," he said. "One of the latches was bad in the case. That (duct tape) was the insurance that it wasn't going to open while I was transporting it."

Romagnoli is out some money, but can laugh it off now.

"You can look at it real serious, but it's a mixer, a piece of stuff," he said. "Thank God it was just a mixer and not a bomb."

Edited April 19, 2006 by alocispepraluger102

[Jim Alfredson]

One more kareoke DJ off the streets...

[alocispepraluger102]

One more kareoke DJ off the streets...

he used to play jazz and really supports all the local jazz performers.

.... he's just earning a living.........