Fireworks infractions net $4,000 in fines

Officers hand out warnings and tickets on holiday patrol

By Christian Gaston

The Forest Grove News-Times, Jul 7, 2010, Updated Jul 7, 2010 (6 Reader comments)

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Anyone firing off a Roman candle was in for a punishment worthy of Caesar Sunday night, as Forest Grove Police teamed up with fire inspectors to hand out tickets with $1,000 price tags to violators.

“We do not tolerate illegal fireworks,” said Capt. Aaron Ashbaugh, spokesman for the Forest Grove Police Department.

Fire Inspector Matt Johnston rode along with a Forest Grove Police officer from 8 p.m. Sunday until the wee hours of Monday morning in an effort to nab scofflaws disregarding Oregon’s ban on projectile fireworks.

“This was a kind of a first for us,” said Dave Nemeyer, spokesman for Forest Grove Fire & Rescue.

While Oregon has strict rules limiting what legal fireworks can do (hint: not much).

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