WA Teens Sentenced to Days for Church Fire

Two juveniles who started a fire inside the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Hazel Dell earlier this year have been sentenced in juvenile court.

Ammon D. Wells, 15, was sentenced Thursday to 15 days in detention, 12 months of probation and 40 hours of community service in connection with the April 8 fire, which destroyed a pulpit inside the church, according to records filed in juvenile court.

A second boy, 15-year-old Jacoby B. Dugger, was sentenced July 19 to eight days in detention, 12 months of probation and 20 hours of community service. He was given credit for his detention sentence. Dugger additionally was sentenced in an earlier arson case to another seven days in detention, 12 months of probation and 20 hours of community service, court records show.

Both boys previously pleaded guilty to second-degree arson, a Class B felony.

According to a probable cause affidavit, the boys broke a window to gain access inside the church at 2223 N.W. 99th St. and used a stack of books they found inside and lighter fluid to start the fire. They left the building through the doors.

Four men who were playing basketball at the church smelled the smoke and went into the sanctuary area to investigate. They found the pulpit ablaze and called 911, according to Clark County Fire District 6. Firefighters responded and quickly doused the flames.

There was no major structural damage.

Clark County sheriff’s deputies caught up with the boys in May following a separate vandalism call, and the boys admitted to starting the church fire, according to court records.

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