Man avoids jail after bringing homemade fireworks to Jersey Shore bar
SOUTH PLAINFIELD, New Jersey (WABC) -- A man accused of taking explosives to a popular Jersey Shore bar is avoiding jail time.
Thomas Kaiser, 55, was sentenced to one year of probation after pleading guilty.
He was arrested last year on Labor Day weekend after taking an explosive to Donovan's Reef in Sea Bright.
He apparently tried to bring a cooler filled with the homemade fireworks into the bar.
The bar was forced to evacuate, and South Plainfield canceled their Labor Day parade after other devices made by Kaiser were found.
A half dozen of the devices were found on Kaiser's property near a wooded area, which is in proximity to the parade route, authorities said.
His lawyer reportedly told the court Kaiser was unaware making homemade fireworks was illegal.
Authorities said no threats were made to the parade. Investigators had searched the route and found nothing.
A man who said he was Kaiser's brother called the entire incident a misunderstanding back in 2019.
"He was caught with fireworks," he said. "There was no bombs, nothing set in the streets, nowhere. They came, they searched the house with bomb explosive dogs, found nothing in the house. Found nothing anywhere near the vicinity. Ok?"
Homemade fireworks are illegal in New Jersey.
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