|
Fire damage on Hwy 84 south of Longville
|
|
Two individuals were arrested, May 28, and charged with felony wildfire arson after allegedly starting a series of fires on Highway 84 near Longville.
Garrick Thomas Hammond, 20, of Longville, and Max Tyler Reyes, 17, of Pine River, were taken into custody and charged in Cass County Court with the crime.
Felony wildfire arson carries a maximum sentence of five years, a $10,000 fine, or both.
Reyes' case is being tried in juvenile court. According to Minnesota law, juvenile court hearings are open to the public if the juvenile is 16 and older and alleged (or proven) to have committed a felony offense.
Law enforcement and fire trucks responded to a report of a "large wildfire burning trees, brush and grass" along Highway 84, according to the criminal complaints.
Witnesses indiciated that they saw a red Pontiac Grand Prix with two individuals leave the area shortly after the fires ignited.
Authorities were given physical descriptions of the vehicles' occupants.
Another witness told law enforcement officers that she had followed the vehicle in question and saw the individuals firing what appeared to be fireworks out of the vehicles' windows.
Investigators responded to a Longville address and located Hammond and Reyes.
According to the criminal compliant, the pair were questioned about the fires and initially indicated that they had been fishing earlier and that the vehicle had been parked for at least two hours.
An investigator felt the vehicle's engine and found it to be extremely hot.
Witnesses were brought to the scene and positively identified both individuals and the vehicle as being involved in the arson.
Once formally interviewed, both Hammond and Reyes admitted that they had started the fires by throwing fireworks out of the window of the vehicle, but claimed they were accidental.
Hammond's next court appearance is on June 9. Reyes' next court appearance is on June 24.
