Girl survives Halloween bonfire explosion

A 16-year-old Phoenix girl is alive after a shock absorber thrown into a Halloween bonfire exploded and struck her in the face. The incident occurred around 10:30 p.m. last Friday in the desert. Police say the blast sent debris flying, injuring multiple partygoers, but only one person suffered serious wounds.

The victim is Jaidynn Penberthy. Her brother, Ethan Glass, said she was standing about 10 feet from the fire when the noise hit. He described the scene as having a lot of blood. Glass said strangers performed lifesaving measures while Penberthy’s friends drove her for help and called 911. One girl reportedly performed chest compressions to restart Penberthy’s pulse after she lost it for about a minute.

Penberthy suffered a broken jaw, multiple facial fractures, missing teeth, and burns. The debris hit her mouth, nose, and the side of her face. She was flown to a burn center and has already undergone facial reconstruction surgery. Glass said she needs several more operations. He noted that she is in significant pain and has trouble breathing, but he is thankful she is alive. A GoFundMe has been established to help cover her medical costs.

Phoenix police believe 24-year-old Samuel Wolf Schnee caused the explosion. Court records show he was booked on three counts of aggravated assault and seven counts of endangerment. Schnee appeared in court early Saturday morning. State prosecutor Dawn Sauer called his actions extremely reckless. Sauer said Schnee admitted to throwing an old shock or strut into the fire. She noted that he claimed to have drilled holes to release harmful chemicals, indicating he knew they were inside.

Schnee’s attorney, Jerald Schreck, argued that the state had not confirmed which specific item caused the explosion. He also contended that the prosecution could not reasonably identify Schnee as the person who threw it. The judge found probable cause based on testimony from two or three witnesses who identified Schnee as the one who placed the shock in the fire. The judge stated that proximate cause, or whether Schnee’s actions directly led to the injuries, would be decided at trial.

Schreck asked for Schnee to be released on his own recognizance. He cited Schnee’s background as an Eagle Scout and lifeguard, noting he has no criminal history and is not a flight risk. Sauer requested a bond of $75,000. The judge acknowledged that Schnee posed a danger to others during the incident but did not believe he is a danger now. She set the bond at $25,000.

Court records show Schnee posted the bond and was released. The legal team for the defense is preparing for the upcoming trial. The case centers on whether the specific item thrown into the fire is the one that exploded and injured Penberthy. The defense maintains that this link has not been fully proven.