Posted on 05/22/2018 9:57:14 AM PDT by Simon Green
A teenager who started a major wildfire in the scenic Columbia River Gorge in Oregon has been ordered to pay restitution for at least the next decade, though it's unlikely the boy will ever cover his nearly $37 million bill.
The Oregonian reports that Hood River County Circuit Judge John A. Olson issued the opinion on Monday, awarding the restitution totaling $36,618,330.24 to cover the costs of firefighting, repair and restoration to the gorge and damage to homes. Victims include the U.S. Forest Service and Oregon Department of Transportation.
The 15-year-old from Vancouver, Washington, earlier this year acknowledged wrongdoing and said he threw two fireworks in Eagle Creek Canyon on Sept. 2 when flames spread quickly. The fire caused evacuations, an extended shutdown of a major interstate highway and devastation to a major outdoor tourist attraction.
The judge's order notes that the boy can set up a payment plan, though payments can be halted after 10 years as long as he complies, completes probation and doesn't commit other crimes.
At a hearing last week, the boy's lawyer urged for a "reasonable and rational" penalty, calling the $37 million sought an "absurd" amount for the child. The restitution is solely the responsibility of the teen, and not his parents, who came to the U.S. from Ukraine.
Olson called it "an extraordinary amount" and then deferred on a separate restitution order because he wanted more time to review the case. The judge said the largest figure he could find for prior juvenile restitution cases in Oregon was $114,000.
The teen in February pleaded guilty to reckless burning of public and private property and other charges. Olson sentenced him to community service and probation, and the boy had to write more than 150 letters of apology...
(Excerpt) Read more at yahoo.com ...
Oh, well. 0.1% is better than nothing, I suppose.
How futile. What does this judge
think the kid is? A politician?
“unlikely the boy will ever cover his nearly $37 million bill”
...”unlikely”?! Hahahahahaha
Well - If he lives until he’s 75 years old he only has to cough up an average $617,000 a year for the next 60 years.
Not including interest.
Well, with that conviction, his job prospects turned into a pretty short list.
Why no jail?
Unfortunately, it’s incentive for him to not get an education, not get a decent job, not take responsibility - for the next 10 years. Or, he could face up to his responsibilities and do well. Not holding my breath on the latter...
Teaching everyone to never, ever, admit involvement, even when it was just a stupid firework, and not intentional arson (or so the story seems to say).
RE:”Let’s do the math. How much is he going to average a year for the next ten years? $20,000 a year if he’s lucky? If I’m not mistaken, they won’t garnish more than 25%, since he needs money to live on...so figure we’ll collect $50K out of the $37M fine. Give or take. If he actually gets a job. “
He’s 15
He should be sent to prison for life, and made to pay on his debt via the money he earns in a prison job. The worse that could happen is that he sets a fire in the prison, or his fellow convicts set fire to his bed with him in it.
He admitted doing it. That's not bad for a modern 15 year old.
The teen in February pleaded guilty to reckless burning of public and private property and other charges. Olson sentenced him to community service and probation, and the boy had to write more than 150 letters of apology.
Why the sledgehammer with the fine, if that was already done?
Well, he IS Canadian...
From the article - "The judge's order notes that the boy can set up a payment plan, though payments can be halted after 10 years as long as he complies, completes probation and doesn't commit other crimes."
So it's basically a repayment plan for 10 years.
The judgement good for ten years and possibly extended to 20. Basically he’ll live like 50% of the country from pay check to pay check, and in 20 years he’s good to go, having paid practically nothing.
This fine is ridiculous. Apparently the act wasn't malicious or intentional, just stupid. Why push him to a life of indolence over it when ultimately even if he worked his tail off the money he paid would be a pittance?
He should apply for a pot growing license- he’ll make that money in no time
Or he’ll probably sue the state for smoke inhalation and mental anguish for not putting the fire out sooner-
He's only 15...so nothing for at least the first 3 years. Presume his parents send him to college for 4 to 5 years while he lives at home. At that point, a portion of whatever paycheck he manages to take home will be garnished for 2 to 3 years.
We might get $10K out of him.
When I was 9, living in Yokosuka, Japan, I light a field on fire because I was shooting smoke bombs over a road using a slingshot, and they would leave a cool trail of red, green, or yellow smoke as I shot them. Unfortunately, they also spit a steady steam of sparks, and when it landed in the playground across the street, it set the dry grass on fire and they had to call the Fire Department.
I huddled in terror all day in my room, waiting for the Shore Patrol to come pick me up and bring me to the brig.
Then, when we moved back to the states, my dad was XO on a small communication station, and me and a friend were playing with matches in a dry field (I know) and a small fire got out of control. My friend ran, but I couldn’t because my glasses had fallen off, so I grabbed him by the back of his jacket which he slithered out of...I used his jacket to try to put the flames out, but the Fire Department came down, and the base guard took me over to see my dad at work.
My poor dad. He looked at me like I was an alien.
Sigh. Not like he didn’t have other things to do.
I understand no jail time. Meaningful and time consuming Community service would have been far better than a stupid $36 million fine. Dumb kid. But it wasn’t deliberate arson from what the article said...just a stupid kid doing stupid kid things.
He’s an American.
.
That is how I feel. I could have been that stupid kid. Hell, I WAS that stupid kid without the massive damage...just lucky.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.