Fire
A judge has ordered a teen who admitted to starting a wildfire that swept through the Columbia River Gorge last year to pay over $36 million but acknowledges the teen can’t pay the sum in full reports the Oregon Live.
Hood River County Circuit Judge John A. Olson wrote in an opinion released Monday that the court awards restitution totaling about $36,618,330 on behalf of Eagle Creek fire victims including the U.S. Forest Service and Oregon Department of Transportation. Olson also tapped the local juvenile department to come up with a payment schedule for the restitution.
Jack Morris, the lawyer for the 15-year-old, last week called the figure “absurd” and “absolutely silly.”
Olson wrote in his opinion: “Having reviewed the arguments presented by the parties, the court is persuaded that an award of more than $36 million in restitution does not violate either the state or federal constitution.”
He also wrote that the figure “is clearly proportionate to the offense because it does not exceed the financial damages caused by the youth.”
- Iris Schenk, whose Warrendale house burned down: $5,000
- Allstate Insurance: $8,111.44
- Oregon State Parks: $31,550.90
- Heuker Properties: $100,000
- Trail Club of Oregon: $168,000
- Union Pacific Railroad: $1,048,877.52
- Oregon State Fire Marshal: $1,643,035.38
- Oregon Department of Transportation: $12.5 million
- U.S. Forest Service: $21,113,755
The defense lawyer is right, it is absurd. Therefore, he, and the punk kid, should both serve 1 yr. locked up for every $1,0 of fine. See you guys in 36 yrs, boys!