Pa. Man Fires Cannon, Hits Neighbor's House
My bad, buddy
Tuesday, Sep 8, 2009 | Updated 10:41 AM PST
AP
This is not William Maser's cannon. This is the Kings Troop Royal Horse Artillery firing a 41 gun salute in honour of Queen Elizabeth II's 79th birthday, Hyde Park, London, Britain.
A Pennsylvania history buff who recreates firearms from old wars accidentally fired a 2-pound cannonball through the wall of his neighbor's home in Uniontown, Pa.
William Maser, 54, fired a cannonball Wednesday evening outside his home in Georges Township that ricocheted and hit a house 400 yards away. The cannonball, about two inches in diameter, smashed through a window and a wall before landing in a closet. Authorities said nobody was hurt.
State police charged Maser with reckless endangerment, criminal mischief and disorderly conduct.
No one answered the phone Friday at Maser's home. He told WPXI-TV that recreating 19th-century cannons is a longtime hobby. He said he is sorry and he will stop shooting them on his property, about 35 miles southeast of Pittsburgh.
