In re S.R.

182 Ohio App. 3d 803
CourtOhio Court of Appeals
DecidedJune 29, 2009
DocketNo. 2009-01-005
StatusPublished
Cited by3 cases

This text of 182 Ohio App. 3d 803 (In re S.R.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Ohio Court of Appeals primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
In re S.R., 182 Ohio App. 3d 803 (Ohio Ct. App. 2009).

Opinions

Ringland, Judge.

{¶ 1} Appellant, S.R., appeals an adjudication of delinquency by the Warren County Court of Common Pleas, Juvenile Division, for unlawful possession of a dangerous ordnance and inducing panic.

{¶ 2} During the evening of October 28, 2007, appellant and a friend went to a pool complex located near appellant’s neighborhood in Springboro. At the time, the pool was closed for the season and the adjoining clubhouse and parking lot were completely vacant. Appellant, an Eagle Scout aspirant and student near the top of his high school class, created a “Works bomb” or “bottle bomb” comprised of a plastic water bottle, “The Works” toilet bowl cleaner, and aluminum foil; a process he first witnessed while attending a Boy Scout bonfire. The combination of cleaner and foil creates a chemical reaction that when placed in a capped plastic bottle causes the bottle to rupture. Appellant combined the materials in the bottle and placed it in a grassy area adjacent to the parking lot.

{¶ 3} A couple who lived in the neighborhood were walking their dogs at the time and heard the loud noise caused by the rupturing bottle. They observed appellant and his friend get into a vehicle with a loud muffler and drive away from the location. The husband decided to inspect the area to determine the cause of the noise. He observed the mutilated bottle, but found no property damage. He also noticed a second water bottle on the premises that appeared to be about three-quarters full. He returned to his wife, who had remained on the sidewalk. The couple then continued on their walk. The wife stopped at a neighbor’s house while the husband proceeded to their home to return the dogs. Approximately 15 minutes later, the wife decided to telephone the police while at the neighbor’s home to report the incident. After dropping the dogs off, the husband returned to the neighbor’s house and learned that his wife had called the [805]*805police. The husband then went to the pool area to offer any assistance needed by the police.

{¶ 4} An officer from the Springboro Police Department responded to the call. The husband provided a description of what he had observed, including a general description of the vehicle. The officer observed the same remnants of the plastic bottle and some pieces of aluminum foil. The fire department also responded to the scene to investigate the second water bottle, which was determined to contain only water.

{¶ 5} As the officer processed the scene, he noticed a vehicle matching the description provided by the husband drive past the pool complex. The officer initiated a traffic stop of the vehicle driven by appellant’s friend. Upon approaching the vehicle, the officer observed water bottles, a roll of aluminum foil, and a bottle of “The Works” cleaning solution in the rear of the vehicle. The officer ordered the boys out of the car and began asking about the incident. Appellant admitted setting off the bottle. The boys were permitted to call their parents and were placed in the back seat of the squad car. Once appellant’s parents arrived, appellant was asked to write a statement. Appellant claims that the officer threatened that if he did not write a statement, he would be taken to the juvenile detention center. The officer denies the allegation, claiming he never threatened appellant to provide a statement. Appellant provided the written statement, admitting that he had detonated the bottle but stating that he “didn’t realize it was a crime.” The statement also says, “I had no intent to hurt or scare anyone.”

{¶ 6} Appellant was charged with illegal possession of a dangerous ordnance in violation of R.C. 2923.17(A) and inducing panic in violation of R.C. 2917.31(A)(3). Appellant filed motions to suppress and dismiss, which were overruled by the magistrate. Following trial, the magistrate adjudicated appellant delinquent on both charges. Appellant received a suspended commitment of six months with the Ohio Department of Youth Services, was placed on reporting probation for 90 days, and was required to make pro rata restitution. Appellant filed timely objections to the magistrate’s decision, which were overruled by the trial court. Appellant timely appeals, raising five assignments of error.

{¶ 7} Assignment of error No. 1:

{¶ 8} “The trial court erred in overruling appellant’s motion to dismiss.”

{¶ 9} Assignment of error No. 2:

{¶ 10} “The trial court erred in overruling appellant’s Crim.R. 29 motion for acquittal.”

{¶ 11} Appellant combines his first and second assignments of error. In both assignments, appellant argues that the facts are insufficient to support a finding [806]*806of delinquency because the “bottle bomb” at issue in this case is not a “dangerous ordnance” as defined under R.C. 2923.17. Appellant directs the court to the various exceptions listed under “dangerous ordnance” as provided in the Revised Code. Further, appellant argues that the state failed to prove that the bottle bomb in this case meets the elements of a “dangerous ordnance.”

{¶ 12} “Dangerous ordnance” includes “any explosive device or incendiary device.” R.C. 2923.11(H).

I. DEFINITIONS AND RELATED EXCEPTIONS

{¶ 13} The difficulty in analyzing whether a specific instrument constitutes a “dangerous ordnance” results from the myriad of applicable definitions and layered exceptions listed separately in the Revised Code.

“Explosive Device”

{¶ 14} An “explosive device” is defined as “any device designed or specially adapted to cause physical harm to persons or property by means of an explosion, and consisting of an explosive substance or agency and a means to detonate it. ‘Explosive device’ includes without limitation any bomb, any explosive demolition device, any blasting cap or detonator containing an explosive charge, and any pressure vessel that has been knowingly tampered with or arranged so as to explode.” R.C. 2923.11(H).

Explosive

{¶ 15} The Revised Code further provides a definition for “explosive,” which also contains exceptions. “Explosive” is defined as “any chemical compound, mixture, or device, the primary or common purpose of which is to function by explosion. ‘Explosive’ includes all materials that have been classified as class A, class B, or class C explosives by the United States department of transportation in its regulations and includes, but is not limited to, dynamite, black powder, pellet powders, initiating explosives, blasting caps, electric blasting caps, safety fuses, fuse igniters, squibs, cordeau detonant fuses, instantaneous fuses, and igniter cords and igniters.” R.C. 2923.11(M).

{¶ 16} “ ‘Explosive’ does not include ‘fireworks,’ as defined in section 3743.01 of the Revised Code, or any explosive that is not subject to regulation under the rules of the fire marshal adopted pursuant to section 3737.82 of the Revised Code.” Id. The legislature has recently altered the definition and exceptions to “explosive” under R.C. 2923.11(M), effective September 23, 2008. The revised version has changed the classifications of explosive materials from “class A, class B, or class C explosives” to “division 1.1, division 1.2, division 1.3, or division 1.4 explosives” to reflect the revised federal classifications of explosive materials. [807]*807{¶ 17} More significantly though, as will be explained later in the opinion, R.C.

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Bluebook (online)
182 Ohio App. 3d 803, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/in-re-sr-ohioctapp-2009.