Two Schuylkill County men are facing charges after an M-80 was allegedly thrown at a family.
According to court documents, police in Rush Township received a call from the manager at White Birch Golf Course along Tuscarora Park Rd. just after noon on July 17.
The manager told police that he’d received a call from a man who said someone had just thrown an M-80 in his family’s direction as they were getting into their vehicle. The explosive landed and detonated within feet of the vehicle, the victim said.
The victim told police that the M-80 was thrown from the passenger side of the vehicle and that he knew the passenger to be Christopher Owens, 44, of Barnesville.
Police were able to get the victim on the phone as he was tailing the driver of the vehicle from which the M-80 was thrown. Eventually, police caught up to the victim’s vehicle, which was right behind the vehicle they were following.
The vehicle with Owens and the driver, William Messerschmidt, 57, of Grier City, was pulled over on Bernhardt Rd. Messerschmidt denied police access to search his vehicle.
Police say they released Messerschmidt and Owens from the scene. As Messerschmidt drove away, he reportedly told police, “Have a nice day, officer.”
Back at the pro shop at White Birch, police say the employee there confirmed that he heard a loud bang earlier. The pro shop is about 70 yards from where the explosion occurred.
Both Messerschmidt and Owens are facing misdemeanor charges of conspiracy to commit simple assault, reckless endangerment, and possessing prohibited offensive weapons. They’ve been ordered to appear before Magisterial District Judge Stephen Bayer on Sept. 2 to answer to these charges at a preliminary hearing.
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