In response to Saturday night’s incident involving the use of illegal fireworks injuring five Hollister children, Mayor Ignacio Velazquez on Sunday urged for an increase to the $1,000 fine against people caught with illegal fireworks.
A man was arrested shortly after 9:30 p.m. Saturday near Brigantino and El Toro drives after shooting off illegal fireworks that flew horizontally into a crowd, injuring the children. The oldest of the juveniles, a 12-year-old boy, was in critical condition after the incident, according to Hollister Fire Department Capt. Leo Alvarez.
The following morning, when asked if there’s anything the city might do in response to the incident, Velazquez said he wants to increase the fine for illegal fireworks and use the extra money to fund additional resources that would help to further crack down on the illegal use.
Velazquez pointed out how the city two years ago increased the fines for possessing illegal fireworks.
“I’m going to come up with some ideas,” he said. “I’ve been working on some ideas for a while. This is obviously an issue that happens every year. People need to get a handle on this. People need to pay a fine. I don’t like this at all. It makes me very upset that people are still doing it. We need to increase the fine.”
Velazquez was clearly unsympathetic to the suspect accused of causing the children’s injuries.
“Obviously, there are children that are hurt due to some ignorant person that thought it was fun. The person was arrested last night. Undoubtedly, they’ll be sued by the families. I hope they lose whatever they own out of it.”
Aside from increased fines, Velazquez said he wants to spread the word that residents should report their neighbors for illegal fireworks.
“I think the key, if we’re going to solve it, is going to be the community speaking up,” the mayor said.
He contended the city should continue to allow the sale of “safe and sane” fireworks—the ones that don’t leave the ground—because they help support local nonprofit groups.
“That is not the issue,” he said. “It’s people that are doing things illegally.”
