Albuquerque Radio: Arrest Made In Attempt To Destroy Radio Towers

On Sept. 10, the house Brian Dorais shared with his wife in Madrid caught fire, killing her and reducing much of the second story to ashes.

Less than a month later, deputies say, the 53-year-old Dorais attempted to blow up the broadcasting towers on top of Sandia Crest using copper wire, a pair of vehicle battery jumper cables and 17 milk jugs filled with gasoline – at least one of which had been fashioned into a Molotov cocktail.

Brian Dorais

The Albuquerque Journal reports Dorais told deputies that he did so because “the signals were hurting his head.”

According to a criminal complaint filed in Metropolitan Court, on Oct. 2, two employees at the towers noticed a “yellow glow” coming from a building and saw a man wearing dark clothing run away, jump a fence and drive away in a light-colored SUV.

The SUV was found parked nearby in the middle of the road with the keys in the ignition and engulfed in flames.

Other witnesses caught a Doberman pinscher that had suffered burns and was running around the area. Detectives later learned that the dog belonged to Dorais and discovered that the light-colored SUV was registered to his wife.

Dorais told deputies investigating the house fire that he was a paranoid schizophrenic and was taking medication.

The towers are used by major media outlets, along with federal and local agencies. Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office detectives said explosive devices could have destroyed the towers and seriously injured or killed those working in the area.

When authorities caught up with Dorais after the explosives were found near the towers, they took him to a hospital in Santa Fe County for mental health problems.