(La Porte County, IN) - A bonfire started with gasoline led to an explosion and police crashing what turned out to be a mostly underage drinking party.
Officers were led into a wooded area by a motorist who called 911 after hearing what he described as a “large explosion” Saturday night near U.S 20 in Springfield Township, according to La Porte County Police.
Police said four women and three men between the ages of 18 to 21 were sitting around a sizeable burning tree pile.
A cooler filled with various alcoholic beverages, a small bag of marijuana, and a smoking pipe on the tailgate of a pick-up truck were also found. In addition, the area around the truck was littered with a large amount of empty alcoholic beverage containers.
While showing signs of impairment, Todd Christian, 21 years old, revealed the explosion was from using a “large amount of gas” to start the bonfire.
In response to concerns about the size of the fire, Christian said he could use an excavator on the property to extinguish the fire, if necessary, according to police.
The four women were allowed to go after it was determined they had not consumed any alcohol. However, Christian was arrested for Furnishing Alcohol to Minors, a Class B misdemeanor punishable by a 180-day jail sentence.
Nathan Smith and Andrew Crum, both 20, were arrested for Minor Consuming Alcohol, a Class C misdemeanor that carries a maximum of 60 days in jail. Everyone at the bonfire was from the LaPorte area, police said.
