As Anaheim criminal defense attorneys, we were interested to read an article about an incident that resulted in no injuries, but $1 million bail. The Orange County Register reported July 20 that two 18-year-olds were arrested Monday on suspicion of blowing up plastic bottles at the Irvine Spectrum mall. Jason Mathewes and Kyle McCann, both of Mission Viejo, were being held in Orange County Jail in lieu of the $1 million bail. It was not clear what charges they faced, but California law makes it a felony to possess an explosive device in a public place, as well as to set one off with the intent to injure, terrify, intimidate or destroy property. Those crimes carry two to seven years in prison. The young men were scheduled to be arraigned July 21.
The article said Irvine Spectrum security guards called Irvine police late on Monday, after noticing some young men setting off the explosions in water bottles. The bottles were placed in outdoor areas of the shopping center. Irvine police said the devices were made of "household chemicals" mixed in water bottles, but did not say which ones or how powerful they were. No one was hurt in the incident. However, the police called the bomb squad for the Orange County Sheriff's Department to remove the devices, just in case. The guards tried to stop the young men during the incident, but they ran, got into a car and drove away. The guards were able to take down the car's license plate number, which led them to a home in Mission Viejo. This helped the police find the two young men at their homes.
Our Seal Beach criminal defense lawyers do not believe that it's a good idea to set off explosions in a busy public place, and we are glad no one was hurt. But because no one was hurt, we are surprised and disappointed that the two teenagers are being held on such high bail. Bail of $1 million suggests that they face serious charges, and we are not sure the circumstances described in the article warrant such charges. For example, the crime of exploding a destructive device, which we noted above, requires the prosecution to show that the defendant intended to hurt someone, intimidate someone or destroy property. The limited amount of information in the article suggests that there was no such intent, especially since they were outside. In fact, the article seems to suggest that they were playing a prank or experimenting with low-powered explosions, with no intention to actually harm anyone. That isn't to say that the teens should be allowed to think their actions were safe, polite or a good idea, but felony charges seem inappropriate.
Howard Law, P.C. defends adults and juveniles who are facing criminal charges in Orange County and throughout California. That includes charges of vandalism as well as serious, violent charges such as assault, bombing or making a false bomb threat. Young adults in particular can be criminally charged before they even realize that their actions are illegal or unsafe. Unfortunately, you can go to jail or prison for one mistake unless you get experienced legal help. Our Dana Point criminal defense attorneys help clients get the best possible outcome in cases like this, whether that means an acquittal in court or a guilty plea to a lesser crime with a more reasonable sentence. We can also fight for alternative sentencing that might better fit the nature of the crime and the lives of otherwise law-abiding defendants.
If you're accused of a crime in Orange County, don't hesitate before you call Howard Law, P.C. for help. To set up a free consultation, contact us through the Internet or call 1-800-872-5925 today.
