An employee of Scott’s Pointe has been arrested for unlawful possession of fireworks following a Riverhead Police investigation into a “quantity” of illegal fireworks found at the Calverton amusement park last week.
Kenneth Myers, 55, of Lindenhurst, was arrested today and charged with a violation under state Penal Law, processed and then released for a future court date, Riverhead Police said in a press release. Myers is the project manager for Island Water Park Corp., the developer of Scott’s Pointe; his LinkedIn lists him as the company’s vice president of food and beverage.
PRIOR COVERAGE: Riverhead Police seize, investigate suspected illegal fireworks at Calverton water park
The Riverhead Town Fire Marshal notified police on July 15 at 10:55 a.m. about locating illegal fireworks inside Scott’s Point, the press release states. Patrol officers responded to the scene and located a “quantity of fireworks” in a sprinkler room at Scott’s Pointe. Police did not disclose the quantity or types of fireworks seized.
The Riverhead Police Crime Control Division was notified to further investigate the incident, the police press release said. The arrest was made after police conferred with the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office, the release said.
Myers did not immediately return a call requesting comment. Eric Scott, president of Island Water Park Corp., did not respond to a text message requesting comment.
Possessing or using fireworks in New York State without a permit is illegal and constitutes a violation under the State Penal Law. If the value of the fireworks exceeds $150, the individual in possession is presumed to be offering them for sale — a misdemeanor offense. Repeat violations may result in a class E felony charge.
The state also requires pyrotechnic operators in charge of a fireworks display to have a state certification, in addition to following safety standards outlined in state law.
The possession or display of fireworks without a permit is also a violation of the fire prevention chapter of the Riverhead Town Code. Violations of that chapter’s provisions are classified as misdemeanors punishable by a fine between $250-$2,500, and/or by imprisonment of no more than 15 days.
On July 5, Scott’s Pointe owner Island Water Park Corp. held a fireworks show with a permit from Riverhead Town during the park’s Independence Day event. The Town Board on July 1 passed a resolution approving their application, which stated that the display would be conducted by Brookhaven-based pyrotechnics company Special FX Wizard. The Riverhead Fire Marshal has confirmed that the fireworks subsequently found at the site were not related to the July 5 display.
Editor’s note: A criminal charge is an accusation. A person charged with a crime is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
This story was amended on Aug. 5 to reflect additional information from the Riverhead Fire Marshal.
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