A Fourth of July fireworks explosion in Southern California has led to the arrest of a Hesperia man on an involuntary manslaughter charge after a woman in her 20s died, three others were hurt and a nearby vehicle went up in flames.
The blast happened around 8:30 p.m. Saturday in the 5600 block of D Street in Chino. Police officers called to the area for reports of a vehicle fire arrived to find multiple people with significant injuries.
According to investigators, a large amount of fireworks apparently ignited, setting off the explosion and causing a vehicle close by to catch fire.
Authorities said 28-year-old Derion Tradon James Jr., of Hesperia, was taken into custody at the scene. He was later booked at the West Valley Detention Center on the involuntary manslaughter charge.
Jail records indicate James remains in custody on $50,000 bail and is expected to make a court appearance Tuesday morning.
In all, four people were transported to a hospital after the explosion, including three adults and one juvenile, NBC reported.
Officials said Sunday morning that one of the victims, a woman in her 20s, had died from her injuries at a local hospital.
The two other adults were seriously injured but are expected to survive. The juvenile was evaluated at the hospital and later released to family members.
“Based on the preliminary investigation, detectives believe a large quantity of fireworks ignited, causing an explosion,” the Chino Police Department said, confirming the blast also caused a vehicle to catch fire.
The investigation remains ongoing.
