Border Patrol agent admits starting a wildfire which caused $8.2million worth of damage

MAILONLINE ^ | 1 October 2018 | GEORGE MARTIN

[dennisw]

Border Patrol agent admits starting a wildfire which caused $8.2million worth of damage by shooting at colored explosive charge to reveal his baby's gender Dennis Dickey, 37, fired an explosive round at a powder-filled target at the party The target was supposed to explode with blue or pink dust to reveal the gender But a massive explosion set fire to a patch of land which spread very quickly Eventually it engulfed area covering 47,000 acres and caused $8.2m damage Dickey has now been ordered to pay $220,000 in restitution for starting the fire

A Border Patrol agent has pleaded guilty to starting a massive wildfire in Arizona on the day of his wife's gender reveal party.

Dennis Dickey, 37, pleaded guilty Friday to a misdemeanor violation for starting the 2017 Sawmill Fire near Green Valley which is estimated to have caused around $8.2million worth of damage.

According to a press release from the U.S. Attorney's Office, Mr Dickey started the fire by firing a rifle filled with Tannerite, a highly explosive substance, at a target — filled with either pink or blue powder.

The target was intended to explode in a burst of colour which would indicate the sex of his unborn child.

However, a massive explosion set fire to a patch of dry grassland which spread rapidly to engulf an area covering 47,000 acres of land within a week of his party trick.

[hadaclueonce]

Could have flipped a coin.

Bad choice dude, now your life will suck for ever.

I have learned from TV, admit nothing.

[mylife]

And dumber yet about tannerite :)

[Ol' Dan Tucker]

Dennis Dickey, 37, pleaded guilty Friday to a misdemeanor violation for starting the 2017 Sawmill Fire near Green Valley which is estimated to have caused around $8.2million worth of damage.

Like people keep saying, there's two applications of the law -- one for them and one for us. It's pretty clear the D.A. decided to go easy on him with no jail time. Had this been you or me, we'd probably be facing the maximum penalty.

For example, two homeless guys started an illegal campfire that burned 1,700 acres were sentenced to 6 months in federal prison. (See: 2 sentenced to prison for starting Colby Fire)

This guy sparked a blaze that burned 27 times the amount of forest land, yet he receives a comparative slap on the wrist.

Under California law his actions amount to felony arson due to the reckless nature of how he started the fire and the fact that it burned 47,000 acres of forest land.

From: California Arson Laws, Penal Code 451 and 452 PC:

Examples of violations of California's arson and reckless burning laws include:

1. Setting fire to someone else's car as an act of revenge,
2. Setting fire to a restaurant you own in order to collect insurance money, and
3. Causing a forest fire through reckless behavior (like throwing a lit cigarette into grass despite posted signs warning you not to).

Penalties

The punishment for arson charges in California depends on

1. the type of property that was burned,
2. whether or not someone suffered a burn injury, and
3. whether you set the fire willfully or only “recklessly.”

For example, under Penal Code 452 PC, so-called “reckless burning” of personal property is a misdemeanor in California law.4

However, it becomes a wobbler—a crime that may be charged as a misdemeanor or a felony—if you burn a building or forest land, or if the fire causes great bodily injury.

...

2.2. Reckless arson / reckless burning – Penal Code 452 PC:

Basic reckless burning of personal property under PC 452 is a misdemeanor. The potential penalties are up to six (6) months in county jail and/or a fine of up to one thousand dollars ($1,000).30

But reckless burning becomes a so-called “wobbler” if the property burned is a structure or forestland, or if it causes great bodily injury.31 This means that it may be prosecuted as either a misdemeanor or felony, depending on the prosecutor's discretion.

The potential sentences for the various forms of reckless arson are:

1. For reckless burning of a structure or forest land, up to six (6) months in county jail (misdemeanor sentence), or sixteen (16) months, two (2) years or three (3) years in state prison (felony sentence);
2. For reckless burning of an inhabited structure or inhabited property, up to one (1) year in county jail (misdemeanor sentence), or two (2), three (3) or four (4) years in state prison (felony sentence); and
3. For reckless burning that causes great bodily injury, up to one (1) year in county jail (misdemeanor sentence), or two (2), four (4) or six (6) years in state prison (felony sentence).

[Chode]

that too...

[Ol' Dan Tucker]

Not criminal but very bad judgement. His joy turned to heartache very quickly.

Yeah, but under California law his actions amount to reckless burning, which is, in this case, a felony.

[Ol' Dan Tucker]

On April 23, 2017, near Green Valley, U.S. Border Patrol Agent Dickey, who was off-duty at the time, ignited a fire that spread to Coronado National Forest, federal land administered by the U.S. Forest Service. This fire was referred to as the “Sawmill Fire.” Dickey started the fire by shooting a rifle at a target. Dickey had placed Tannerite, a highly explosive substance, inside the target, intending for it to detonate when shot by a high-velocity firearm bullet.

Yeah. Contrast his treatment with two homeless guys starting an illegal campfire that turned into a brushfire that burned only 1,700 acres of forest land and were sentenced to 6 months in federal prison. (See: 2 sentenced to prison for starting Colby Fire)

This guy was treated with kid gloves by the D.A.

[mylife]

This occurred S of Tucson Az

[Big Red Badger]

Thanks for Tucson,AZ.
I went thru it All for That!

[Rusty0604]

Was the powder blue or pink?

[mabarker1]

BS !!!!!!!!

Tannerite

BS !!!!!!!!

Shot from a rifle

BS !!!!!!!!!

$,$$$,$$$,$$$.$$ vs $0.01

BS !!!!!!!!!

[rolling_stone]

guess he wont make the supreme kangaroo court

[Lurker]

“Mr Dickey started the fire by firing a rifle filled with Tannerite,”

Reporters are idiots. All of them.

Every single one.

L

[Chode]

imagine touching off a barrel full

[mabarker1]

NOT ME !!!!

That’s what certain .gov workers are for.

[Ol' Dan Tucker]

This occurred S of Tucson Az

[lepton]

Yeah. That’s the way it usually works...but clearly the author of the original article is multiple steps away from understanding what they are writing about.

[Squantos]

Hope he got some great video and pictures to show at future birthday parties ....

Whoever wrote the story in the news is dumber than dirt .

[stylin19a]

would it have detonated if it was shot by a low velocity firearm bullet ?