Prosecutors dropped charges Thursday against David J. Lund, a 33-year-old arrested following an October 31 explosion near downtown Bremerton.

The blast occurred around 1:45 p.m. in an alley behind a house at 827 6th Street, startling witnesses, damaging a nearby car, and sending debris flying over 100 feet.

“It was just a loud boom. It was literally right next to us,” witness Jacob Osborn said.

“It shook this whole place up. And then we saw smoke.” Vernon Parrow said.

Lund was charged with the malicious explosion of a substance in the third degree, a felony. He pleaded not guilty at an arraignment on November 5.

On Thursday prosecutors dropped the charge against Lund after receiving the results of a Washington State Patrol crime lab test. Lund’s attorney said a fingerprints test was performed, though he had not seen the results as of Thursday. The FBI was also involved in the investigation, police said.

BPD officers arrested Lund following a witness statement that appeared to provide a description that matched the 33-year-old. Also, according to a certificate of probable cause filed November 5 in Kitsap County, a review of surveillance video showed Lund crossing 6th Street away from the location of the blast minutes before the explosion. Lund was known to police and had been arrested on suspicion of a crime involving fireworks before, police said.

Lund has maintained his innocence throughout the proceedings. Video footage from the Kitsap Rescue Mission shows he was inside the shelter when the device exploded.

State prosecutor Kelly M. Montgomery brought charges on November 5 against the Bremerton man, who faced a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. Bail was set at $50,000.

Lund was unable to post bail, his mother Barbara Johnson said, and remained in custody since his arrest.

On Thursday morning, Lund appeared in prison scrubs at an omnibus hearing before Superior Court Judge Sally F. Olsen. His attorney, public defender Caleb Cunningham, informed Judge Olsen that prosecutors were dropping the case. Cunningham said his client maintains he had nothing to do with the explosion.

The office of the Kitsap County Prosecutor did not respond to a request for comment.

Lund was released from custody on Friday morning. A trial was scheduled to begin on Monday.

Gabe Stutman is a reporter with the Kitsap News Group. Follow him on Twitter @kitsapgabe.