Suspect, but no motive, in bottles found in Colorado river

Authorities in western Colorado have a suspect in the dumping of chemical-filled bottles in a river but don’t have a motive so far.

Ricardo Parras-Membreno, 43, was arrested Friday after police say they saw him placing bottles in the Roaring Fork River in Basalt. They had been staking out a spot where other similar bottles had been discarded.

While police have suspected they contained ingredients used to make methamphetamine, Basalt police chief Gregg Knott said Monday that a search of Parras-Membreno’s home turned up no evidence of drugs.

According to court documents, Parras-Membreno wouldn’t explain the reasoning behind his actions.

It’s not clear if he has a lawyer.

Tests have found that the contents are corrosive and sometimes flammable. Court documents say “explosive precursors” have been found but no explosives.