Men blew up turtle

PENN TOWNSHIP, Pa. -
Three people are accused of stuffing M-80 firecrackers inside a turtle’s shell and blowing up the animal in Lancaster County.

- Download the WGAL app

Northern Lancaster County Regional Police say it happened on Aug. 3 along the 1100 block of North Penryn Road in Penn Township. Police said they found a small crater and what appeared to be pieces of bone fragments and the remains of a large turtle.

“Witnesses were able to provide suspect description and the description of the truck they were in at the time of the explosion. Through further investigation, the officer was able to identify three individuals that were alleged to have placed two M-80 firecrackers on the shell of the turtle, subsequently lighting the fuse, causing severe trauma to the turtle from the explosion, killing the reptile,” reads a police statement.

Officers said they identified three suspects; a 17-year-old male, Taylor Geib, 21, and Austin Garner, 21. On Aug. 24, the three were arrested and charged with criminal conspiracy and prohibited offensive weapon.

An officer located the truck the suspects were believed to have been driving, according to witnesses. Upon arrival, the officer asked Geib: "Why do you think I am here?"

Geib replied: "Because we strapped dynamite onto a turtle and blew it up."

The officer contacted Garner by phone who told the officer: "We strapped 2 M-80's on the back of a turtle and blew it up. Then lit off another M-80 after those two."

When asked how they put the M-80's on the turtle, Garner replied: "We used duct tape."