Man's Fireworks Business Fails to Launch, Faces Felony Charges

A 33-year-old Germantown man, who was attempting to build a fireworks company, is facing multiple felony charges for possessing over a thousand improvised explosives.

Bodie Witzlib forced police to shut down a section of County Line Road for much of the day Wednesday while trained emergency bomb crews removed more than 1,000 handmade M80-style explosives. He has been charged with four counts of possession of improvised explosives and could be imprisoned up to six years on each count.

According to the criminal complaint:

Police received call Tuesday from Witzlib’s relative after he visited his mother’s home on County Line Road and Fond du Lac Avenue. Witzlib had stocked the basement with materials to manufacture his M80s for his business, “G.I. Fireworks.”

When police searched the property they found over 1,000 devices, cardboard tubing and wicks. They were all detonated in a local quarry throughout the day Wednesday.

Witzlib told police he was in the process of obtaining a federal license for his firework business. He sold each firework for $5. He had also created brochures for his business, and produced a safety sheet for the safe use of his product. He was hoping to expand his business on the Internet.

Police also found containers of military-grade ingredients used to manufacture the product in a shed on the property. Witzlib had also mailed a sample of his fireworks to a former employer. Police obtained a package with Witzlib’s return address as evidence from the man. The package contained two M80s, a pricing guide, and a handwritten note, which said:

“In addition to going to school full time, I started a small business over winter. I bought a bunch of raw materials and made some fireworks. When it gets closer to the 4th, let me know if you need any. Tell everyone you know (except the cops!).”

Police arrested Witzlib Tuesday evening, and is now being held on $25,000 cash bond.