By Admire Manzamwa
DOUGLAS COUNTY, Wash. — Three teenagers suspected of starting the deadly Chelan Hills wildfire in central Washington have been arrested, authorities said, in connection with a July blaze that killed one person, injured six firefighters and burned more than 10,000 acres.
The suspects — an 18-year-old from Tacoma, a 19-year-old from University Place and a 19-year-old from Pacific — were taken into custody this week in a joint arrest operation by the Pacific Northwest Violent Offender Task Force, which is led by the U.S. Marshals Service, according to the U.S. Marshals Service and the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office.
The first person arrested in connection with the fire, Michael Yakimov, 18, pleaded not guilty earlier this month to first-degree arson, first-degree malicious mischief and six counts of third-degree assault, according to KING5. A Douglas County Sheriff’s Office press release said the subsequent arrests are for similar charges.
An investigation determined that on July 4, multiple individuals ignited fireworks from the bed of a moving truck and set dry grass ablaze along a road in Douglas County, which was under a burn ban at the time, the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office said. The fire was contained July 10 after scorching more than 10,000 acres.
On Aug. 31, the Douglas County Coroner’s Office confirmed that Robert M. Lister, 69, died as a result of the wildfire during evacuation efforts in July. Six firefighters also suffered burn and smoke inhalation injuries battling the blaze.
Douglas County Sheriff Tyler Caille said in a statement: “These arrests underscore the strength of our collaboration with the U.S. Marshals Service. By working together and acting quickly, we were able to locate and apprehend the three suspects, providing an important step toward justice for the life lost, the firefighters injured, and the community forever changed by this wildfire.”
Chief Deputy U.S. Marshal Michael Leigh for the Eastern District of Washington said the “hard work, great collaboration and swift action of law enforcement officers in Douglas County and across the state contributed to the successful apprehension of these three individuals.” He added that authorities will “continue to aggressively pursue anyone involved in intentionally setting fires and destroying our communities.”
Additional information regarding the defendants and charges will be released by the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office at a later date, the U.S. Marshals Service said.
This story is based on reporting by the Kitsap Sun, the U.S. Marshals Service and KING5.