A New Jersey man was arrested Saturday after he refused to dismantle a firework contraption that he had set up on his property and told officers he intended to set the fireworks off despite their warnings, police said.
Bujar Xhudo, 52, had allegedly erected a large fireworks display — including more than 100 separate explosive airborne devices wired to an electronic controller — in plain view on his property in Sparta Township, according to police.
An officer arrived at Xhudo's home a short time after 9 p.m. and told him that he couldn't set off the display and that he would have to dismantle it. Xhudo refused and told the officer that he planned to set off the fireworks for a large party he was hosting, police said.
Another officer arrived and the homeowner was warned several more times that he couldn't set off the pyrotechnics. When Xhudo refused again, he was arrested on illegal fireworks charges, police said.
Local police and fire officials worked with the New Jersey State Police bomb squad unit to dismantle the display and transport the fireworks by truck to the Sparta Police Department. Police said the bomb squad unit will dispose of the explosives.
Xhudo was processed and released several hours after his arrest and made his first appearance in court Sunday.
