Date/Time: 8/20/2011, 2322 Hours
Location: 4th Avenue and Adams Street, Olympia
Incident: Trippin’ Over Fireworks
An aspiring pyrotechnic caught heat from the Olympia Police Department after an out-of-season fireworks display in a downtown alleyway.
According to the police report the suspect, a 19 year old white male, came running out of the alley behind 325 4th Avenue holding what looked to be a lighter up in the air and yelling at a crowd of onlookers who were gathered across the street. It was at that moment that an on duty OPD officer in a marked police cruiser was driving by, just in time to witness the explosions down the alley. After spotting the police vehicle, the crowd yelled back across the street to their firework fleeing friend, “Cops. Run. It’s the cops.”
Alerted to the police presence, the young pyromaniac turned tail and tried to retreat back down the alley which he had just used as a small personal artillery range. The following pursuit did not last long however, as the suspect quickly tripped and fell over what the police officer described as a “small pile of red fireworks paper that still smoldered on the ground.”
The explosions caused a group of unsuspecting bystanders in the alley to scream and lunge for cover, including one individual who actually fled down the alley before realizing the explosions were from fireworks. The incident also nearly caused multiple vehicle collisions on the adjacent roadway.
The suspect was cited for Disorderly Conduct.
Date/Time: 8/29/2011, 1534 Hours
Location: 300 Block 4th Avenue, Olympia
Incident: More Fireworks
After receiving a dispatch call regarding complaints of numerous firework explosions in the downtown center an OPD officer began observing a large group of people who were congregated and sitting on the sidewalk in front of a business.
While observing the sidewalk sitters, the officer noticed a separate “group of three individuals” walking toward him. One of the members of the group, later identified as a 22 year old white male, was seen lighting strings of firecrackers and throwing them on to the sidewalk. The officer continued to watch as the group crossed the street and huddled under an alcove at 323 4th Avenue and the suspect again hunched over to light another string of the explosives. Before he could light them however, a member of his party noticed the OPD officer who was watching them from the perch of his parked police motorcycle.
According to the police report, the suspect then stood up and began walking directly toward the officer “as if nothing had happened,” but with the red string of firecrackers still visible in his hand. As the group tried to pass by, the officer asked the suspect if he was indeed in possession of any illegal fireworks. The man confirmed the officer’s suspicions by handing over, “a small box of spinning fireworks that elevate and emit sparks, the partial string of red firecrackers, and a small rockets type firework.”
The suspect was advised that Olympia City Code only allows fireworks on July 3rd and 4th. He was arrested for illegal possession and use of fireworks, a misdemeanor.