5 in Marion face fines over underage fireworks sales

Workers at five of the seven vendors licensed to legally sell fireworks in Marion face fines because they were caught selling to someone under 18, police said Monday.

Authorities said they conducted compliance checks on the businesses Saturday. A state law passed this year allowing consumer fireworks in Iowa states that a customer must be age 18 or older to buy them.

Marion police did not disclose the age or gender of the minor they sent in to try to buy the fireworks. But they said these people were caught selling to the minor:

Marci Geary at TNT Fireworks, 5491 Highway 151; Michelle Fowler at Boom Boom Billy's, 901 50th St.; Tracy Bredekamp at Jake's Fireworks, 3600 Highway 151; Austin Enderson-Ohrt at JP Fireworks, 890 Seventh Ave.; and Vonda Hoover at Grace Baptist Church, 1461 E. Post Rd.

All were cited with a simple misdemeanor and face a fine of up to $250 each, police said.

Two other businesses refused to sell to the minor, police said. They were Bellino Fireworks, 3300 10th Ave., and Cornellier Fireworks, 3375 Armar Drive.