Leominster police say man had hatchet, chemicals, and drugs in car; some material stolen from Waltham High School

By Lauren Dezenski, Globe Correspondent

A dangerousness hearing is set for a 23-year-old man after Leominster police discovered a hatchet, chemicals allegedly stolen from Waltham High School, and a stun gun in his parked car Wednesday morning, officials said.

Police did not initially see Jesse Holland of Gardner in his car, which was parked in the Watertower Plaza parking lot off North Main Street in Leominster as officers were conducting a check of the shopping center early Wednesday morning, said Worcester district attorney’s spokesman Paul Jarvey.

When Holland saw officers approaching his vehicle, he allegedly got out of his car to approach their cruiser, Jarvey said. Officers instructed him to return to his vehicle, which he did. When officers approached the vehicle, one “saw what turned out to be the hatchet,” Jarvey said.

Police then searched Holland’s car, allegedly discovering the hatchet, hydromorphone pills, aluminum powder, iron powder, magnesium metal ribbon, and a stun gun. Holland was arrested just before 2 a.m.

Holland is being held pending a dangerousness hearing set for March 11. If he is found dangerous, he could be held without bail for up to 90 days without bail, Jarvis said. Holland was arraigned Wednesday on charges including possession of a Class A substance, for the hydromorphone pills, and possession of a stun gun.

It is unclear why Holland was in the parking lot.

The chemicals discovered in Holland’s car were allegedly stolen from a chemistry storage room at Waltham High School, where Holland works as a security guard, Waltham Public Schools Superintendent Susan Nicholson said.

The Waltham district contracts with Virginia-based Command Security Corp., Nicholson said in a statement. The company employs more than 6,000 security guards nationwide, according to the company website. Command Security did not immediately return a message seeking comment.

Waltham and Leominster police continue to investigate the incident.