Posted on 06/05/2008 9:27:14 PM PDT by Excuse_My_Bellicosity
The woman responsible for the largest wildfire in Colorado history was released from a federal prison in Texas this morning.
Terry Lynn Barton, 44, was convicted in 2003 of starting the Hayman fire in the mountains west of Colorado Springs. The June 2002 fire torched 138,000 acres, destroyed 133 homes, 466 outbuildings and forced the evacuation of 8,000 people.
Barton has three days to report to the federal Probation Department in Colorado Springs, according to U.S. Attorney for Colorado Troy Eid.
She then has to find a job and start paying $14 million in federal restitution that already has been ordered and what could be $30 million more once the state decides on its restitution. That decision will come soon, said Lin Billings, spokeswoman for the El Paso County district attorney's office.
As part of her 15-year probation, Barton must perform community service in either Teller, Jefferson, Park or Douglas counties, where the fire took place.
The fire and Barton are still hot topics of conversation in the communities hurt most by it.
John Ridolfo lives north of Woodland Park. His 960-square-foot home on 1.2 acres was totally destroyed. He said many in the area are still upset but said that if Barton completes everything required of her, "I think she's paid her dues."
Barton's mother, Wanda Haddock, who lives in Squaw Valley, Calif., said she talked to her daughter a few days before her release. Haddock said Barton already has lined up a place to live but did not yet have a job.
"She's pretty scared, but she's doing all right," Haddock said.
Barton — a technician for the U.S. Forest Service — admitted to starting a fire in a campfire ring at the Pike National Forest on June 8, 2002, while patrolling public lands to enforce a fire ban. She has said she was distraught after receiving a letter from her estranged husband in which he said their planned divorce would not be amicable. She admitted that the Hayman fire started after she burned the letter.
Carlos Illescas: 303-954-1175 or cillescas@denverpost.com
People who get their houses burned down by corrupt Forest Service Employees have a long memory for that sort of thing, go figure.
And garnishing her 7-11 paycheck will get this debt paid down in no time.
Goodie. Just in time for fire season.
Maybe a compassionate, sympathetic Dem Senator or Congressman from Colorado could give her a high paying staff position, so she could pay it down faster?
Great point … could pay off her debt in less than a year, all things considered. ;-)
Well that make it all better doesn't It?
Typical government worker. They will crucify you for the slightest infraction but hold themselves above reproach.
Good question. Considering the fact that the entire state of Colorado wants to pimp-slap her, I’d say her chances of being a no-show are fairly high.
but did she cut CO2 emissions???
That’s it, she can horn in on AlGore’s racket by selling carbon credits to payoff her $14 million. She can plant trees. :-0)
I think the ex won that round.
Perhaps she could be helped to get a job stoking the fires of hell.
Being a convicted felon, she’ll never get a good enough job to pay down 1/10th of her debt. That’s the real punishment: having 7-Eleven, greasy-spoon restaurants, and Starbucks management eye her with suspicion and treat her like crap while she’s paid less than $10/hr for the rest of her life, while having to give back 20% of it every pay period. It’s a life sentence and she earned it.
That said - some of the comments here seem pretty harsh. She screwed up but I'm sure she had zero intent of starting a forest fire and I can't equate starting a camp fire in a ring with drunk driving - sorry.
Everyone here has done something stupider. Tail gating - speeding. Burn in hell? - give it a rest people.
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.