On July 3, 2009 Greene County deputies responded to two incidents involving improvised explosive devices. Both of these incidents were in the southern portion of the county and involved devices constructed from commonly available consumer fireworks.

The first incident was reported in the 3000 block of S. FR 203 where an area resident reported seeing the occupants of a suspicious vehicle throw an object out the window of the car before fleeing from the area. The citizen called 911 to report the incident and the Logan-Rogersville Fire Department and Greene County deputies were dispatched to the location where they discovered a homemade bomb constructed of modified fireworks. This device was safely disassembled at the site.

The second incident began with the Battlefield Fire Department responding to a grass fire in the 5300 block of S. Parklane Ave. While extinguishing the fire, Fire Department personnel discovered an intact unexploded improvised explosive device. The Springfield Fire Department’s Bomb Squad responded to the scene and successfully detonated the device at the location. Deputies were able to locate and stop a vehicle nearby that was believed to be connected to this incident. Two juvenile males were taken into custody and a large quantity of consumer type fireworks were seized from this vehicle. This case has been forwarded to the Greene County Juvenile Office for further investigation.

Both of these incidents involved the misuse of legal consumer fireworks to construct illegal and dangerous explosive devices. The explosive power of these devices could easily result in serious injury or death to anyone in close proximity during their detonation. This type of high risk activity is a violation of both state and federal laws.