Father and son Reginald Charles Hill and Ryan Charles Hill fined after firing gel blaster at Peel roadhouse

A father and son who fired a gel blaster that looked like a rifle at a Coolup Roadhouse and nearby vehicles, “terrifying” bystanders, claimed they were just checking their weapons. Reginald Charles Hill, 59, and Ryan Charles Hill, 34, stopped at Placid Ark Roadhouse in Coolup on the evening of June 19 after a day spent using the blaster, which was legal at the time, with friends, according to police prosecutor Edwards. Senior Constable Edwards told Mandurah Magistrate’s Court Reginald had grabbed the blaster from their vehicle and began firing it at the side of the Roadhouse. The blaster was then fired at the vehicles of the friends they had been travelling with. Terrified patrons inside the Roadhouse called police when they saw the men climb back into their vehicle with the weapon. Mandurah and South West district detectives, along with officers from the regional operations group, later found the group and conducted a high-risk vehicle stop of the cars, finding the blaster in the rear of the Hill’s vehicle. They both pleaded guilty to being armed in a way that caused fear. The Hills’ lawyer Seamus Rafferty said they had not intended to scare anyone. Mr Rafferty said they were checking the blaster for problems after Ryan indicated to his father he was getting “blowback” and did not consider people would not realise it was not a real firearm. He also said the friends then suggested they fire the weapons at the base of their vehicles. “At no stage did they intend to scare anybody,” he said. “It was an instance of abject stupidity.” Mr Rafferty then requested a spent conviction for Ryan, which Sen. Const. Edwards opposed due to the “seriousness” of the charges. “I accept this was an incredible act of stupidity,” Magistrate Tanya Watt said. “It would have been terrifying for those people.” Magistrate Watt added she accepted they had not meant to cause fear before fining each of them $2500 and ordering the blaster be forfeited. She also granted the spent conviction for Ryan.