ANTELOPE, Calif. — A Sacramento County middle school is dealing with thousands of dollars in damages from people lighting fireworks on their property.
Antelope Crossing Middle School Principal Jaimie Hanan is asking people to stop and pointing out new penalties in the county for fireworks violations.
Surveillance video from July 4, 2023 shows a crowd of dozens of people launching fireworks into the air and at each other.
"There were so many people and so many fireworks," said Hanan, who called the scene "absolutely out of control."
To make matters worse, the mob can be seen aiming their fireworks at the school's private security and even at a Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District engine.
"We even had them land on our roof, burning through some layers of the roof. We’re so lucky it didn’t catch on fire," Hanan said.
Every year, bootleg fireworks shows cause chaos around the state of California, starting fires, scaring young children and pets and stressing out people with PTSD.
In April, Sacramento County passed tougher penalties for fireworks violations, including a $10,000 fine for lighting them at parks, the American River Parkway and at schools.
Hanan hopes the ordinance will cause people to think twice before setting off fireworks at Antelope Crossing again.
The Sacramento County fireworks code was changed to include the following:
- Narrowing the window for fireworks sales from June 28 through July 5 to Noon on June 28 through the end of July 4
- Banning the use of all fireworks, including state-approved fireworks, between 10 p.m. and 9 a.m. during the authorized selling period
- Mandating that information be provided about safe disposal at the point of sale
- Enhancing fines for schools and all parks:
- $1,000 for the first violation;
- $2,500 for the second violation within one year of the first violation;
- $5,000 for each additional violation within one year of the first violation
- $10,000 for each violation that occurs within the American River Parkway, all parks and all schools
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