Newport police arrest 118 on Fourth of July

Newport Beach police arrested 118 people Wednesday night, an increase over last year’s Fourth of July revelry when 105 were arrested, police said Thursday.

Of those arrested, 64 were cited for being drunk in public, 19 for misdemeanor assaults and four on fireworks violations, Newport Beach Sgt. Evan Sailor said. Of the four, only one was arrested for a felony explosives infractions.

“In all honesty the crowds and parties didn’t seem to be as big as in years past,” Sailor said.

Costa Mesa police arrested one man after he was found to have three outstanding warrants, while they were citing him for fireworks violations. Other than that no other fireworks-related arrests were made that night, Sgt. Richard Allum said.

Allum’s team issued 36 citations Wednesday evening for everything from being drunk in public to setting off illegal fireworks.

Costa Mesa officers called in the Orange County Bomb Squad twice that night to dismantle explosives made from plastic drinking bottles. A napkin filled with gunpowder was stuffed into the top plastic bottles filled with flammable liquids and a fuse was placed through the top, Allum said.

The department may also seek legal action against a company that set off part of a display after the designated shut-off time of 10 p.m. The group, which was hired to do a show at the Mesa Verde Country Club, blew up a number of leftover fireworks at almost 10:30 p.m.

After that time it’s illegal to detonate even the so-called Safe and Sane fireworks, Allum said.