New Iberia Teenager Arrested for Setting Off Home Made Bombs
A New Iberia woman says she's thankful no one was seriously hurt when a homemade bomb exploded in her back yard. Iberia Parish deputies arrested 17-year-old Gemarcus Collins last night after he set off bombs into Cody Estilette's yard.
"We panicked. Started grabbing the kids sending them in the house. That really could have hurt someone," said Estilette.That wasn't the family's first scare. Last week, with her family in the backyard, she heard something she thought was a firecracker.
"They were plastic bottles with chemicals and foil inside. We didn't know what it was at first," said Estilette.
While standing there, several more plastic bottles were thrown into her yard. When they hit the ground, a small explosion and smoke and chemicals spilled out.
"It landed feet away from where the baby was. That's when we started freaking out," said Estilette.
"Hopefully it doesn't influence other kids because it's a potentially dangerous. A person could have lost a limb or a life," said Captain Ryan Turner.
Turner says the teenager meant no harm and that the boy was just messing around. but stresses how dangerous homemade bombs are. Estilette hopes other kids learn from this.
"There are other ways to have fun. I do forgive him. I don't think he did it on purpose. I think he was just messing around and didn't know what he was doing was very dangerous," said Estilette.
Detectives are investigating where Collins got the information to create the bombs. He is charged with two counts of manufacturing and possession of a bomb.
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