Current Events > Teen Who Burned Oregon Forest Told to Pay $37 Million in Damages

(+) Yeah! (+)

http://www.newsweek.com/teen-who-burned-oregon-forest-told-pay-37-million-damages-933002

A 15-year-old boy who started a fire that ravaged through 75 square miles of land is being asked to pay $37 million in restitution.

The boy from Vancouver, Washington, started the wildfire in the scenic Columbia River Gorge in Oregon last September after throwing a firework that exploded in the air. A second firework with a longer fuse he threw ignited brush.

The flames spread quickly and forced evacuations, the shutdown of a highway and ravaged hiking trails that attract more than 3 million visitors per year.

There have been 11 requests made in court to cover costs of firefighting, damage to homes and restoration, the Associated Press reported.

The U.S. Forest Service wants $21 million, and the Oregon Department of Transportation wants $12.5 million. Other claims range from $4,563 to $1.6 million.

The teenager's attorney, Jack Morris, urged Hood River County Judge John Olson to impose a "reasonable and rational amount" of restitution, OregonLive reported.

It is an extraordinary amount of restitution being sought, Olson said.

The judge has said the largest figure he could find for juvenile restitution was for $114,000, and he would soon issue a written ruling.

The boy was sentenced to community service and probation after he pleaded guilty in February to reckless burning of public and private property and other charges.

He had to write more than 150 letters of apology to those whose properties were affected by the fire.

The boy's name has been withheld by the authorities due to public anger at his actions.

I get to look at torched Angels Rest every day," farmer Paul Smith told the AP. "It will never be the same. You cant financially quantify the damage hes done."

haha get fucked, kid
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Ha ok
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haha get fucked, kid
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Fair, next.
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dumbass kid
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That's a lot of lawns to mow.
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I feel partly responsible since I'm the only one who can prevent forest fires and I did nothing.
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wait, is he being fined $37M or $114k?
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Will he ever earn enough to pay it off?
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chill02 posted...

haha get fucked, boy

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How do they even narrow down a fire that big to one person?
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Mango Sauce posted...

How do they even narrow down a fire that big to one person?

A witness must have seen him.
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Giant_Aspirin posted...

wait, is he being fined $37M or $114k?

seems they need 37M
but they will only ask for 114k
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Lmao, stupid shit
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Mango Sauce posted...

How do they even narrow down a fire that big to one person?

there were witnesses
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sorry for a second I forgot teenagers are dumbasses
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I've never understood the purpose of demanding ridiculous amounts in fines/restitution. It'll NEVER be paid. Hell they'll be lucky if he's able to pay back even 10k.
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YOUHAVENOHOPE posted...

Giant_Aspirin posted...

wait, is he being fined $37M or $114k?

seems they need 37M
but they will only ask for 114k

Will they ever recover the land with that little amount of money?
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CelestialVoices posted...

haha get fucked, kid

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LightHawKnight posted...

YOUHAVENOHOPE posted...

Giant_Aspirin posted...

wait, is he being fined $37M or $114k?

seems they need 37M
but they will only ask for 114k

Will they ever recover the land with that little amount of money?

i mean it's a matter of facing reality really
theres no way someone could pay off 37 million dollars worth of damage
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to be honest that's totally the type of shit i would have done as a 15 year old. i would know better than to shoot roman candles at brush but throwing a firework off a cliff that explodes before it hits the ground? whats the harm in that?
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Watch the little asshole hit the lottery one day.
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KILBOTz posted...

to be honest that's totally the type of shit i would have done as a 15 year old. i would know better than to shoot roman candles at brush but throwing a firework off a cliff that explodes before it hits the ground? whats the harm in that?

I won't lie, I got a bit mad when I drove through the gorge a few months back
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He will probably end up in bankruptcy court next.
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KILBOTz posted...

to be honest that's totally the type of shit i would have done as a 15 year old. i would know better than to shoot roman candles at brush but throwing a firework off a cliff that explodes before it hits the ground? whats the harm in that?

There's an actual number to your question, and it's 37 million dollars.
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Howl posted...

KILBOTz posted...

to be honest that's totally the type of shit i would have done as a 15 year old. i would know better than to shoot roman candles at brush but throwing a firework off a cliff that explodes before it hits the ground? whats the harm in that?

There's an actual number to your question, and it's 37 million dollars.

as much as he was just asking a sarcastic rhetorical question

this still made me lol
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As sad as that is, I can't help but feel sorry for the kid.

I mean, he did something stupid and reckless. I think we've all done things like that as teenagers, whether its from peer pressure or trying to be cool.

Unfortunately his teenage mistake has buried him and ruined his life, the thought of owing that much money and feeling so guilty on such a huge scale? I think I would have to kill myself.

Knowing a minor is going through that mental hell... I just can't help but feel bad for him.
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If only people got this angry at Scott Pruitt and his minions fucking up the environment on purpose
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YOUHAVENOHOPE posted...

Howl posted...

KILBOTz posted...

to be honest that's totally the type of shit i would have done as a 15 year old. i would know better than to shoot roman candles at brush but throwing a firework off a cliff that explodes before it hits the ground? whats the harm in that?

There's an actual number to your question, and it's 37 million dollars.

as much as he was just asking a sarcastic rhetorical question

this still made me lol

same
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Kid plays with firework. Accident happens. Somebody wants $37 million.

Only in America.
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It will be past him in 7 years assuming he declares bankruptcy.
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I mean, with asking that much he's never going to pay even a drop of it off.

Seems effectively a pointless amount to ask for.
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ThePredominate posted...

As sad as that is, I can't help but feel sorry for the kid.

I mean, he did something stupid and reckless. I think we've all done things like that as teenagers, whether its from peer pressure or trying to be cool.

Unfortunately his teenage mistake has buried him and ruined his life, the thought of owing that much money and feeling so guilty on such a huge scale? I think I would have to kill myself.

Knowing a minor is going through that mental hell... I just can't help but feel bad for him.

Jesus dude. Its not like he will give ever check to the government. Itll most likely be garnished from his checks. Sucks. He fucked up, but to contemplate suicide is pretty dramatic.
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chollima posted...

Kid plays with firework. Accident happens. Somebody wants $37 million.

Only in America.

Yeah he put loves at risk by being a fucking idiot and destroyed the environment single handidly.

Hes not serving time. He owes money. Get fucked.
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DiegoSanchez206 posted...

Jesus dude. Its not like he will give ever check to the government. Itll most likely be garnished from his checks. Sucks. He fucked up, but to contemplate suicide is pretty dramatic.

When people get over their head like this, it's not like suicide is unheard of.
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Funkydog posted...

DiegoSanchez206 posted...

Jesus dude. Its not like he will give ever check to the government. Itll most likely be garnished from his checks. Sucks. He fucked up, but to contemplate suicide is pretty dramatic.

When people get over their head like this, it's not like suicide is unheard of.

Smh we just raise weaklings then. He will owe more than that by just going to college and being an adult.
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chollima posted...

Kid plays with firework. Accident happens. Somebody wants $37 million.

Only in America.

Teenager throws fire into dry brush. Fire starts, destroying miles of natural beauty, homes, and livelihoods. People demand restitution.

For the record, $37m is egregious. But also, the kid fucked up and theres no way he didnt understand how fuckin stupid it was to throw fire into dry areas during a dry summer
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DiegoSanchez206 posted...

Funkydog posted...

DiegoSanchez206 posted...

Jesus dude. Its not like he will give ever check to the government. Itll most likely be garnished from his checks. Sucks. He fucked up, but to contemplate suicide is pretty dramatic.

When people get over their head like this, it's not like suicide is unheard of.

Smh we just raise weaklings then. He will owe more than that by just going to college and being an adult.

A) Fuck your toxic opinion
B) How much do you think college costs, or how much average debt Americans have?
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DiegoSanchez206 posted...

Funkydog posted...

DiegoSanchez206 posted...

Jesus dude. Its not like he will give ever check to the government. Itll most likely be garnished from his checks. Sucks. He fucked up, but to contemplate suicide is pretty dramatic.

When people get over their head like this, it's not like suicide is unheard of.

Smh we just raise weaklings then. He will owe more than that by just going to college and being an adult.

Fuck off. It's not "raising weaklings" and you don't sound more manly by claiming that, just idiotic.

Laughing at or dismissing suicide is just plain shitty, even if you think the reasons are minor, when people get trapped in their own heads/thoughts it can be very hard to escape or see matters rationally.
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I was at work and my customer gave me that whole "Kids make mistakes" speech in defense of the kid last year, when this was happening.

Sorry, ma'am, but get fucked. My "kid mistakes" never caused catastrophic damage to my home's habitat and ruined the air quality for my entire state for a month. Dumbass kid deserves to have his life ruined.
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BloodyNate posted...

DiegoSanchez206 posted...

Funkydog posted...

DiegoSanchez206 posted...

Jesus dude. Its not like he will give ever check to the government. Itll most likely be garnished from his checks. Sucks. He fucked up, but to contemplate suicide is pretty dramatic.

When people get over their head like this, it's not like suicide is unheard of.

Smh we just raise weaklings then. He will owe more than that by just going to college and being an adult.

A) Fuck your toxic opinion
B) How much do you think college costs, or how much average debt Americans have?

Homes cost more than 114k you fucking goof.
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Funkydog posted...

DiegoSanchez206 posted...

Funkydog posted...

DiegoSanchez206 posted...

Jesus dude. Its not like he will give ever check to the government. Itll most likely be garnished from his checks. Sucks. He fucked up, but to contemplate suicide is pretty dramatic.

When people get over their head like this, it's not like suicide is unheard of.

Smh we just raise weaklings then. He will owe more than that by just going to college and being an adult.

Fuck off. It's not "raising weaklings" and you don't sound more manly by claiming that, just idiotic.

Laughing at or dismissing suicide is just plain shitty, even if you think the reasons are minor, when people get trapped in their own heads/thoughts it can be very hard to escape or see matters rationally.

Keep crying. Its a fucking debt.
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chollima posted...

Kid plays with firework. Accident happens. Somebody wants $37 million.

Only in America.

An accident that destroys people's homes, land, etc should be punished harshly.
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People seem to forget bankruptcy exists. Take advantage of it. Bankruptcy before suicide people.
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Ex-Kefiroth posted...

chill02 posted...

The boy's name has been withheld by the authorities due to public anger at his actions.

Screw that. Name and shame.

he's a minor, so there's that
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DragonGirlYuki posted...

People seem to forget bankruptcy exists. Take advantage of it. Bankruptcy before suicide people.

Certain things are exempt from bankruptcy though
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If he can't discharge it he is probably better off just leaving the country.
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This is walking a thin line between accident and carelessness.

While I don't think he should have to pay $37M I do think he should be doing community service and participate in reforestation efforts for the rest of his years.
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DiegoSanchez206 posted...

Keep crying. Its a fucking debt.

I'm not crying. Just telling you that you are a piece of shit for mocking/dismissing suicide.
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