Myrtle Beach delivery driver talks about fireworks attack

By Jody Barr
WBTW News 13 Reporter
Published: July 14, 2008

Horry County Police continue their investigation into a delivery boy who was burned with what police initially called life-threatening injuries Friday night in Myrtle Beach.

The delivery driver, 16-year-old Myrtle Beach High student Jacob Robinson, was delivering food to a home in the area when someone ran up to the car and threw a firework inside.

Police said they believe the firework to be a Roman candle and it burned Robinson in the small of his back and left him with 15 percent of his body burned, according to the county police’s report.

Robinson’s father, Zach, told News13 in a telephone interview, from the Joseph M. Still Burn Center in Augusta, that his son continues recovering and is talking to visitors and family as of Monday afternoon.

Zach Robinson said his son has severe burns up his back, his left leg, left arm, buttocks, and his left hand that doctors said was the most severely burned, according to Zach.

Jacob underwent his first surgery Saturday and doctors performed a skin graph over the weekend, according to the boy’s father.

When medics arrived on scene, the victim was in the middle of the road screaming and his shirt was lying in the road still smoldering, according to the report.

Medics rushed the victim to Grand Strand Regional Medical Center and later flew him to the Joseph M. Still Burn Center in Augusta, Georgia by helicopter.

The victim was upgraded to good condition Monday, according to Beth Fritz with the burn center in Augusta.

The victim was driving a 1996 Acura and when officers arrived to investigate the incident, the driver’s seat was burned with pieces of the firework still lying in the seat.

Robinson told News13 it was his son’s first day on the job and that, “Zach was working the job over the summer to earn money to help pay for his cell phone and car insurance, you know like many teenagers do.”

“We want the person responsible to come forward but we’re thankful for the support and prayers from the people of Myrtle Beach…he has a long road to go, but he’s kept a positive attitude,” Zach Robinson told News13.

The owner of Doc’s delivery, Jacob Robinson’s employer, went to the scene and provided investigators with names of possible suspects, according to police.

The Robinson’s said they’re setting up a trust fund in hopes people will donate to help pay for the medical bills from their son’s stay at the burn center in Augusta.

Investigators impounded Robinson’s car Friday night while the county police crime scene investigators continued their investigation.

If you have any information about the incident, or a possible suspect, you are asked to please call the Horry County Police Department at 915-5350 or to remain anonymous, 915-8477 (TIPS).