Last September, a 15-year-old tossed fireworks on a hot day in the forest and inadvertently set off a massive wildfire that burned 48,000 acres in Oregon.
Now he’s learned the price he must pay, and it’s incredible: a grand total of $36,631,687.10 to various entities, including the US Forest Service, reports the Hood River News. The teen’s attorney argued that the penalty amounts to cruel and unusual punishment, but the judge in the case took a few days to assess things and decided that the punishment is warranted, reports KGW.com.
The judge ordered the Hood River Juvenile Department to set up a payment schedule, though he added one caveat to the ruling that might eventually give the kid a break.
“The court can grant a full or partial satisfaction of the restitution judgment after 10 years” if certain conditions are met—mainly, if the teen doesn’t get into any more trouble and faithfully makes what payments he can over the next decade.
At that point, another judge will reassess and could decide that the debt is paid, even if it’s nowhere near $37 million. On top of the financial penalty, the Vancouver, Wash., teen must complete about 2,000 hours of community service.
He pleaded guilty earlier this year and wrote a letter of apology for his “careless action” that apparently did little to mitigate the sentence.
Apology from teen who admitted to setting #EagleCreekFire — Judge sentenced him to up to 5 years probation and 1,920 hours of community service with the U.S. Forest Service. pic.twitter.com/f99wmDkv3G
— Christine Pitawanich (@CPitawanichKGW) February 16, 2018
The fire burned through the Columbia River Gorge and Mt. Hood National Forest, and a group of hikers required rescue. (A witness says she saw the teen throw a “smoke bomb” into a ravine.)
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