600 Pounds of Illegal Firecrackers Seized
On June 28, just in time to protect the people of Ventura County before the Independence Day celebration, officers with the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office arrested a man who was in possession of around 600 pounds of fireworks that were illegal.
My congratulations and thanks go to the officers who work hard to keep the residents of Ventura County safe.
Fillmore Resident Arrested for Illegal Fireworks
A tip to county officers reported that a 45-year-old Fillmore man was in possession of illegal fireworks that he was selling from his house on Fourth Street. Arriving there with a warrant to search the house at around 7:00 in the morning, authorities discovered a large cache of illegal fireworks in various places in the home. The authorities concluded that this was not only illegal but posed a danger to the family and the public. In addition to fireworks, the man was also in possession of an assault rifle, an unregistered rifle, and another rifle that was listed as stolen.
Charges in the Case
The man in possession of the fireworks and weapons was arrested after he turned himself in following the search warrant. He faces misdemeanor charges for the illegal fireworks, illegal possession of pyrotechnic devices and fireworks, illegal transfer of a firearm, and the receiving of stolen property. He was also charged with felonies for the possession of the assault weapon and suspicion of having an explosive. The man was taken to the county jail where he was booked with a bail amount of $20,000, according to police representatives.
Fireworks Injury Statistics
According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission report, there were around 11,900 injuries caused by fireworks that required a trip to the emergency room in 2015. Sixty-seven percent of those injuries occurred between the 19th of June and the 19th of July. There were also 11 deaths reported that were not related to an occupation that handles fireworks. Nine of the deaths occurred due to reloadable aerial devices such as bottle rockets and skyrockets. Ten of the deaths were due to impact by a firework itself.
Young People and Children Constitute a High Number of Injuries
Forty-two percent of the injuries were to children and older teens under the age of 20. Of the different age ranges, 15- to 19-year-olds had the highest number, followed by 5 to 9-year-olds.
Danger of Firecrackers
Some people might look at a firecracker and think that something so small couldn’t possibly do a lot of harm. However, they would be wrong. In 2015, there were 1,200 ER visits related to traumatic injuries caused by firecrackers. Forty-one percent of those injuries were caused by the smaller firecrackers, and 18 percent were caused by illegal firecrackers. There was no information provided on 41 percent of the firecracker injuries.
Firecrackers can not only cause burn injuries, but they can also cause more serious damage such as amputations and permanently impair hearing and vision. In some cases, the clothing may catch fire causing worse injuries. Last year, a 9-year-old Los Angeles girl lost a hand to illegal fireworks. A Compton girl had to have one hand amputated and fingers removed on the other hand and suffered injuries to her face as the result of a firecracker. When injuries of this type happen, a seasoned personal injury lawyer can help recover damages caused by substandard manufacturing, negligence at events, and negligence by private homeowners or businesses.
Fireworks Laws in California
- Average citizens can only purchase fireworks on the “safe and sane” list.
- A pyrotechnic specialist license is required to purchase fireworks on the “dangerous” list.
- Fireworks that are not labeled “State of California, State Fire Marshall Registered Fireworks” are illegal.
- Children under 16 are not allowed to possess, buy, or use fireworks.
- Dangerous fireworks include firecrackers, 10-inch or longer sparklers, rockets, and skyrockets or fireworks containing arsenites or arsenic sulfide.
- “Safe and sane” fireworks include smaller sparklers, snaps, snakes, fountains, smoke balls, and some wheels.
Attorney Ed Smith
Thousand Oaks Personal Injury Lawyer
I’m Ed Smith, a Thousand Oaks personal injury lawyer. If you and/or a member of your family has suffered an injury because of defective fireworks or negligence, please phone me at (805) 372-0200. My friendly advice is free. If you prefer, call (800) 404-5400 toll-free.
During my 35 years as an injury lawyer, I have assisted Californians, including those in Thousand Oaks and the surrounding county, with their traumatic injuries and have obtained fair compensation for surviving family members in their wrongful death cases.
I belong to Million Dollar Advocates, a national forum for top trial attorneys in the country. All members have obtained a minimum of $1 million in settlements or verdicts for their clients.
When seeking legal counsel, past client reviews matter. Mine is located on Yelp and Google. The third site, Avvo, carries reviews from clients and my peers. My Verdicts and Settlements listings may also be helpful.
Photo Attribution: https://pixabay.com/en/fireworks-pyrotechnics-used-rocket-1156808/
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