Woman kept open gas cans in house 'because she liked the smell'

A Florala woman was jailed on Tuesday on reckless endangerment charges after she allegedly left open gas containers throughout the house “because she liked the smell.” Chief Sonny Bedsole said officer Chris Jackson was responding to a disturbance report at the North Sixth Street home when he noticed the odd smell throughout the home of Juliana Bryant, 33.

“Officer Chris Jackson responded to the home, and inside, found an open container of gas,” Bedsole said. “When questioned, she said she liked the smell of it.” Bedsole said a Department of Human Resources social worker was contacted after Jackson located Bryant’s three children in the home.

Bryant was charged through Florala municipal court with three counts of reckless endangerment and was released on a $1,500 bond; however, Bedsole said the case remains under investigation and that possible felony charges are pending. “The dangers of having an open container of gas inside a home are obvious,” Bedsole said. “Aside from the toxic fumes, there’s the chance a spark could set off an explosion. It’s just dangerous.”

Bedsole said this is the second incident at the home that involved finding a gasoline-like smell inside the home. “I responded there about two months ago with DHR under similar allegations,” he said. “We found it on the carport, but inside the house did have a strong smell (of gasoline).”