Woodbridge Charges 8 People With Illegal Fireworks On July 4th Weekend

WOODBRIDGE, NJ — Before the July 4th holiday weekend, Woodbridge Township warned that anyone caught with fireworks would be charged with a disorderly persons offense and have their name published in the media.

On Tuesday, July 5, the Township has made good on its threat.

Although it is very common throughout America to set off fireworks, for the past several years now, Woodbridge Twp. has taken an aggressive stance against illegal fireworks and people setting off fireworks from their backyard, deck or balcony. This is because of how dangerous fireworks can be, said Woodbridge Mayor John McCormac.

Starting last Friday, July 1 through Monday July 4, the Woodbridge Police Dept. stepped up patrols of neighborhoods and eight people total were charged this past weekend. Woodbridge Police responded to more than 156 complaints about fireworks this past weekend, in what McCormac called "an unprecedented crackdown" on fireworks.

Not only that, but Woodbridge Police say fireworks were the cause of a garage fire at 69 Alwat Street in Woodbridge proper and a dumpster/trash container fire at 902 West Avenue in the Sewaren section. Read that story: Weekend Woodbridge Garage Fire Under Investigation

The following individuals were issued complaint/summonses charging discharge of Illegal fireworks (N.J.S.A. 21:3-8):

• Nicolas C. Demerac, 33, Arthurs Street, Linden, NJ (discharge of illegal fireworks at 12 Inverness Terrace, Woodbridge Township);
• Glen Pohid, 35, Evergreen Forest Blvd., Avenel
• Paige P. Sanchez, 52, Harrison Avenue, Colonia
• Edison A. Hernandez-Lajara, 31, Ford Avenue, Fords
• Andrzes Tomaszewski, 41, Prospect Avenue, Avenel
• Adrian Hernandez, 21, Delaware Avenue, Colonia
• Paul E. Simmons, 35, Fifth Avenue, Avenel
• Aamar Shahzad, 38, Little Neck Floral Park (discharge of illegal fireworks at 505 Chain O’ Hills Road, Colonia)

They are all facing fines of up to $500, but the fines are usually dropped in Woodbridge municipal court.

Recent changes to the New Jersey Explosives and Fireworks Act permit people 16 and older to lawfully buy, possess and use certain sparkling devices and novelties sold only in registered retail locations.

The fireworks that are now legal in New Jersey are hand-held or ground-based sparklers, snakes and glowworms, smoke devices and trick noisemakers, including party poppers, snappers and drop pops.

However, what remains illegal in the state are firecrackers, roman candles, M80’s, cherry bombs, salutes and ground-to-air fireworks.

It is a fourth-degree crime to sell those above fireworks, which carries a fine of $1,000 and jail time.

Setting off those kinds of fireworks is a petty disorderly person’s offense, which carries a fine of up to $500.