Gilbert Arenas Arrested For Illegal Fireworks

Former NBA player Gilbert Arenas (pictured) was arrested Thursday morning for transporting a “truckload” of illegal fireworks.

The former Washington Wizards guard and current Chinese Basketball Association Shanghai Sharks player was charged with possession of illegal fireworks and speeding, according to TMZ.

Arenas was reportedly speeding in a Ford pickup truck when he was stopped by the California Highway Patrol at around 2:30 a.m. When the 31-year-old baller was flagged by police and approached his vehicle, the fireworks were in clear view, TMZ states.

There were boxes of fireworks allegedly located in the bed and cab of the pickup.

The celebrity news site claims that the LAPD bomb squad was summoned because of the delicate nature of the pickup’s cargo.

Each year, more than 10,000 injuries are caused by the use of fireworks in the United States.  Illegal fireworks are very unstable and can explode prematurely–especially if they are not handled properly.

The explosive filler can be set off by friction, heat, impact, sparks or flames. If one set of fireworks goes off accidentally, then it is expected that they will trigger a series of explosions. Even a small amount of fireworks going off at the same time in a vehicle can kill everyone inside.

A TMZ cameraman was reportedly at the scene when Arenas’s pickup was being unloaded. He counted roughly 20 boxes.

Maybe it was a lucky thing that Arenas got cuffed instead of snuffed!