An Orange County homeowner was fined $300,000 for allegedly setting off illegal fireworks – a citation that one city hopes will deter the public from using the devices.
The city of Stanton issued 18 citations totaling nearly $1 million in fines for the use of illegal fireworks during the Fourth of July. It warned the public it would be cracking down on the use of the unlawful devices.
The homeowner who was given the heftiest fine was cited $1,000 for each illegal firework they set off, according to Stanton Mayor David Shawver.
“Can you imagine for five straight hours, 300 illegal loud booms going on in your residential neighborhood? And that’s why they ended up with that,” Shawver said.
According to the mayor, drones helped document illegal fireworks that were set off on Independence Day. The other 17 individuals who were cited for the devices face fines that range from $1,000 to several hundred thousands.
“If you cry wolf too many times, people aren’t going to believe you,” the mayor said. “But then if they have to step up and be held accountable, that accountability makes a lot of difference.”
Shawver said he hopes his city’s hard stance on illegal firework use will help prevent injury or death.
“As you know, recently we had the death of a young girl in our neighboring city just down the block. It was in Buena Park,” he said. “Hopefully we sent the message out that we’ll have no problem next year.”
During a Fourth of July celebration, 8-year-old Jasmine Nguyen died from injuries she suffered during an illegal fireworks display. Police said a homeowner misfired toward the home where the girl was and caused other illegal fireworks to ignite, striking the girl. As a result of her death, a 46-year-old man was arrested.
Shawver said anyone who received a citation from the city over illegal firework use has the right to appeal.
Want more insights? Join Working Title - our career elevating newsletter and get the future of work delivered weekly.
