Man Injured In Fireworks Stunt

The Indy Channel ^ | August 15, 2006 | AP

[Abathar]

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- A man suffered severe burns to his face and head when he ignited a mortar-style firework that he taped to an old football helmet and placed on his head.

Police said Kaleb Spangler, 21, of Bloomington attempted the stunt while drinking at a party along Indiana 46 between Bloomington and Nashville early Saturday morning.

His girlfriend said Spangler decided to duct tape the large firework to the old football helmet. He then put on the helmet and ignited it.

She told police she saw a large flash, then saw Spangler on the ground, unconscious and bleeding from the head. The helmet was destroyed by the blast.

Spangler was taken to Bloomington Hospital, where he was treated for severe burns, lacerations and a concussion.

[Abathar]

Well, he almost made it to the Darwin Awards this year....

[thoughtomator]

No need to worry about brain damage, I suppose.

[keithtoo]

Man! Am I ever glad I read this!

I was about to try this trick myself...........NOT!

[Abathar]

It must be a Hoosier thing, some idiot did something similar to this last year with the same results...

[PackerBronco]

Hold muh beer alert!

[Gator101]

Imagine how many millions of police reports contain the line: attempted the stunt while drinking at a party

[LibWhacker]

Man, that's beyond Darwin. Not even rocks are that stupid.

[Tijeras_Slim]

pow ping

[Bon mots]

He better sue the football helmet maker. It's their fault.

[Mark was here]

... Just doing a job that ... uh ... no one would do ...

[pgyanke]

...attempted the stunt while drinking...

Who wouldn't have assumed this?

[Kokojmudd]

He did it wrong. Supposed to tape it to your back and aim for the moon.

[rahbert]

what kind in ID?

probably not Shiner..

[gov_bean_ counter]

attempted the stunt while drinking at a party

A given, I would think.

[Red Badger]

attempted the stunt while drinking at a party ......

Somehow, I knew.............

[bmwcyle]

while drinking at a party

NOOOOOOOOOO

[Constitution Day]

I used to do some crazy stuff when I was that age, but I NEVER got that drunk.
Not ever.

[tall_tex]

It probably would have worked if he had used Duct tape.

Probably didn't use enough if he did.

[Rb ver. 2.0]

"She told police she saw a large flash, then saw Spangler on the ground, unconscious and bleeding from the head. The helmet was destroyed by the blast."

For every action force there is an equal (in size) and opposite (in direction) reaction force.

[NRA1995]

At least he didn't try disassembling a grenade with a sledgehammer

[NormB]

"Hold muh Beer"

[Rb ver. 2.0]

I've been in some bottle rocket and roman candle fights before but using a mortar is just plain dumb.

[Tijeras_Slim]

I don't remember if I did. But there's no unexplained scars on my head.

[Rb ver. 2.0]

I did put a mortar in an emtpy trash can with the lid on it once. It was simlar to an real M-80 in capacity.

[hellinahandcart]

duct tape ping. :D

[Ueriah]

"Hold Muh Beer!!!!"

[No Blue States]

ROFL!

[Kenny Bunk]

It must be a Hoosier thing, some idiot did something similar to this last year with the same results....

.....and they will keep trying it until someone gets it right. OBTW, The CAT Scan of the victim's skull is in. Shows nothing.

[Constitution Day]

He is lucky he didn't blow his damn head off.


When I was about 11 or 12, we used to hide in the bushes on our road and shoot bottle rockets at the side of the K-3 school kids' bus.
These days you'd be charged with TERRORISM for doing that, probably.

[Constitution Day]

LOL!

[gov_bean_ counter]

Just how much alcohol must one consume before this becomes a "good idea"?

[4yearlurker]

Drunk and Stupid. What a combination!! And what a waste of a good football helmet.

[Gingersnap]

No pics?

[Tijeras_Slim]

I did Wiley Coyote my thumb with black powder once. My Mom was there and laughed herself silly while I spun around cursing.

[Hatteras]

[Abathar]

I don't think a single bottle rocket we ever had as a kid was just put in a bottle and shot in the air, what a waste of good ammo....

[RegulatorCountry]

Good thing he was drunk ... that might've hurt.

[IncPen]

... ping

[dubie]

Never put fireworks on your helmet... result here...

[NRA1995]

[GovernmentShrinker]

There really ought to be a Functional Equivalent category for the Darwin awards. I imagine the real reproductive opportunities are effectively zero for a man with severe disfiguration to his face, caused by his decision to duct-tape a large explosive device to a football helmet, place the helmet on his head, and ignite the explosive device.

[Billthedrill]

Hmm...there was also the young feller who thought his butt crack would make a dandy launching pad for a bottle rocket not so long ago. Actually, it did. Explaining that injury in the emergency room must have been interesting.

[martin_fierro]

"The Life of Kaleb Spangler.
When I was little I used to go to the pool . The fire works were bright ." -- Kaleb Spangler's webpage

[L,TOWM]

You know, my wife and my daughter look at me like I've got some kind of problem when I talk about bottle rocket wars or BB gun shoot outs. Thank heaven my 10 year old boy laughs and says "cool!" when I am talking about (mostly) harmless, or well, at least not fatal, under 25 year old guy fun.

[GovernmentShrinker]

Just how much alcohol must one consume before this becomes a "good idea"?

For most people, slightly more than the amount required to render oneself physically incapable of carrying out the "good idea". This young man is clearly exceptional . . .

[CholeraJoe]

He put the mortar bomb in upside down. It happened to me July 4. Except I wasn't drunk and the mortar tube was on the ground.

[martin_fierro]

Whoops -- meant to ping you there, not necessarily CH.

[G8 Diplomat]

A man suffered severe burns to his face and head when he ignited a mortar-style firework that he taped to an old football helmet and placed on his head.
Well DUUUH you're gonna suffer injuries! What, he thought he could do such a thing and come away without a scratch? Wow, there are so many stupid people in thise world!

[Rb ver. 2.0]

"These days you'd be charged with TERRORISM for doing that, probably."

Yeah, the good old days of saltpeter&sugar, homemade gunpowder and general prankish behavior are gone forever.

[Graybeard58]