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COLUMBIA -- A Columbia College student arrested Monday may be the only person to ever face criminal charges in the Midlands for lighting a firecracker, according to multiple law enforcement sources.

Spokespersons for the Richland County Sheriff, Lexington County Sheriff, University of South Carolina and Midlands Technical College each say they have no record of any student being charged with a crime for setting off a firecracker. The agencies also said officers have broad discretion in determining whether an incident warrants arrest, but typically would let a school handle the situation administratively unless an act posed a clear threat to campus safety.

19-year-old Amber Willbur was pulled out of class and arrested on the Columbia College campus Monday after campus police say she lit a firecracker at an outdoor smoking area. No classes were evacuated, but Columbia College Police Chief Howard Cook says the explosion "alarmed a lot of students, staff, and faculty."

Willbur faces a charge of disturbing school. The police report states she consented to a search of her dorm room where officers found additional fireworks along with Adderal and two hunting knives. Cook says he may file additional charges for those items.

Willbur claims she has a valid prescription for the Adderal and says the knives were a family gift that she temporarily kept in her room while her car was being repaired.

The charges landed Willbur in the Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center for 8 hours Monday.  She says she was scared to be locked up with inmates accused of doing a things a lot worse "than lighting fireworks."  Willbur says she was treated like she was "the Columbine killer."

College officials have barred Willbur from returning to campus pending the outcome of her case and she could ultimately be expelled from school. Her court date is scheduled for November 9.