Police were performing a random sweep of a Georgia high school when they charged a 17-year-old student with a weapons felony for fishing knives in a tackle box in his car.
Cody Chitwood, a senior at Lassiter High School and avid fisherman, turned himself in and was released on $1,000 bond, The Daily Caller reported.
Drug-sniffing dogs detected black powder in the student’s car, which turned out to be a firecracker that had been in the car since Independence Day, the report said.
The firecracker was enough to warrant a full search, which lead police to the tackle box.
“It’s pretty ridiculous,” Chitwood told The Marietta Daily Journal. “I have an attorney and I’m hoping to get the felony dropped so I can still get in the Air Force.”
If the district attorney goes forward with the charges, Chitwood could face up to 10 years in prison and a $10,000 fine.
• Jessica Chasmar can be reached at jchasmar@washingtontimes.com.
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