European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - August 5, 1993, Darmstadt, Hesse                                T a a a a a a a a. A a a. Or is. Louis bus Crunner Ray Lankford left gets tangled up with Florida a Bret Barbrie after trying to steal a base and being called out. See pages 2529 for More baseball. Coleman hit with felony charge the mets Vince Coleman chats with expos Pitcher Ken Hill before tuesdays game. By Steve Farr los Angeles apr prosecutors decided to level a felony charge against new York mets outfielder Vince Coleman because of the explosive Power of a Large firecracker he tossed outside dodger stadium. Coleman on tuesday was charged with unlawful Possession of an explosive device a felony carrying a maximum penalty of three years in state prison. He is expected to surrender next week. Three people were injured july 24 when the explosive was thrown from a jeep As autograph seekers waited outside the players parking lot after a game. Arson investigators said Coleman threw something similar to an m-100__ an explosive equivalent to a Quarter stick of Dyr Amite and packed with Between 200 and 300 grains of Gunpowder. A Normal firecracker contains just a few grains of explosive powder. Bill Hodgman the District attorneys Central operations director said prosecutors chose to file a felony charge rather than a Misdemeanour because of the strength of the explosive and the injuries. An attorney for Coleman 31, said the player does not wish to contest the charge and wants to reach a financial settlement with the injured parties. A i take full responsibility for a very childish act for which i am suffering greatly. It was never my intent to Hurt anyone. My main concern is for those injured a Coleman said in a statement released by attorney Robert Shapiro in Montreal on tuesday night Coleman left the team. Gerry Hunsiker the mets vice president of baseball operations said Coleman would not be Back until next week. A a he is very stressed by the situation a Shapiro said. A the Hasni to been Able to sleep and he is very very concerned for a fam who have Bacn Hurt and for him fire battalion chief Dean Cathey said his department carried out the investigation and talked to about 24 witnesses. The stars and stripes ports August 5,1993 Page 32 each year Cathey said his department spends $500,000 a to discourage people from doing what this person Coleman is alleged to have done. This year alone we be had absolutely Zero fire loss and no injuries As a result of the direct use of fireworks a until  Shapiro said he had relayed a request by Coleman to speak to each of the alleged victims and that in each Case he was referred to attorneys. Coleman and teammate Bobby Bonilla were in a jeep driven by Eric Davis of the los Angeles dodgers when the incident happened. The explosion injured Amanda Santos 2, who suffered second degree Burns to her Cheek and damage to an Eye and Finger. Marshall Savoy a suffered a bruised leg. Cindy Mayhew 33, of Covina was treated for an ear injury. H Coleman sent an autographed Ash it it to Mayhew an autographed baseball to Santos and an autographed Bat to Savoy Shapiro said. The Savoy family a attorney James Mckiernan praised the District attorney for its a a fortitude in pursuing this matter. A this felony count suddenly changes this from simply a firecracker incident to one involving serious risk of harm to individuals a he said