Fireworks still erupting over St. John show

The Fayette County Sheriff’s Office has turned to the public for information about what could have proven an extremely dangerous stunt pulled at the St. John Picnic fireworks display held this part Fourth of July.

That’s after several people say they saw a man drive up this past Independence Day, just as Tom Bargas was starting his fireworks show over in the St. John Community, and toss a lit artillery shell at Bargas’s display and then pull away before the firework went off.

The shell exploded on the ground, sending bright red flames flying in all directions, including directly at a small crowd that had gathered near the main show’s launch site. The unplanned armament started several smaller fires, which firemen were then able to stamp out without much trouble.

Still, Bargas says it could have been much worse. As owner of Mr. B Fireworks, himself, the type of shell that the man tossed at him is powerful enough to kill a person at close range, he told reporters.

He has asked that if anyone knows the identity of the culprit to please contact the Fayette County sheriff’s office to pass that information along. Lt. David Beyer with Fayette County said Monday that no reports had yet come in.

“It could have killed one of my workers,” Bargas said. “It could have killed a spectator. I want to prosecute this guy.”