Sheriff’s Office Investigates St. John Fireworks Incident

The Fayette County Sheriff’s Office is looking into the incident that occurred at the St. John Picnic fireworks show on July 4.

Multiple witnesses, including a Record reporter covering the show, saw a man drive up in a pickup and throw a lit artillery shell into the fireworks display. A video of the event obtained by the Record shows the lit artillery shell flying into the spot where the professional fireworks show was being launched. The shell exploded on the ground, sending red balls of fire flying in all directions and into a small crowd of spectators who were near the launch site. The man who threw the shell got in the truck and drove away.

No one was injured, but the explosion started several small grass fires on the St. John Church Grounds. The Schulenburg Volunteer Fire Department had staged two trucks at the scene as a precaution. The fires burned out on their own, however, and no water was needed.

Tom Bargas, owner of Mr. B Fireworks, the company that conducted the show, identified the type of artillery shell that the man threw. Bargas said that type of shell is powerful enough to kill a person at close range.

Lt. David Beyer of the Fayette County Sheriff’s Office said two deputies were stationed at the picnic on July 4. However, they were under the pavilion with most of the crowd during the fireworks show. Beyer said the deputies did not witness the incident, nor did anyone report it to them.

Some of the people who witnessed the explosion believed it was a malfunction. Schulenburg Asst. Fire Chief Drew Brossmann said the firefighters stationed at the launch thought it was part of the show.

Beyer said investigators reviewed the video, but they could not find anything to identify the man or the pickup.

“It could have killed one of my workers,” Bargas told the Record last week. “It could have killed a spectator. I want to prosecute this guy.”

Bargas asked anyone who knows the culprit to turn them into law enforcement.