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Vancouver man pleads not guilty in fire attack

Charges involve the burning of ex-girlfriend's home with 4 people in it

By Laura McVicker
Published: December 4, 2010, 12:00am

A severely burned Vancouver man pleaded not guilty Friday to dousing his ex-girlfriend with gasoline and setting her house ablaze.

With his right arm bandaged and wearing a suicide smock, David Michael Miller, 23, appeared before Clark County Superior Court Judge Rich Melnick to face three counts of first-degree attempted murder, first-degree arson, first-degree burglary and two counts of harassment.

His court-appointed attorney, Jeff Barrar, told the judge his client understood the allegations against him and waived a formal reading of the charges.

Melnick set trial for Jan. 18.

Miller was jailed Nov. 22 in connection with the Sept. 17 fire. In the interim, he was treated for serious burns at the Oregon Burn Center at Legacy Emanuel Medical Center. When discharged, he was extradited to Clark County.

According to court documents, events began when Miller’s girlfriend told him the morning of Sept. 17 that she wanted to end their seven-year relationship and asked him to move out. They were living at a home in the Sifton area with their 5-year-old son, police said.

Jessica Whalen, 23, told investigators that Miller then sent her a string of nasty text messages, according to court documents.

“Jessica indicated that in one of the messages, David told her that he was going to ‘come over, light my place on fire, lock me in and watch me burn,’” according to a probable cause affidavit written by sheriff’s Detective Todd Barsness. Whalen said the threats scared her and that she didn’t respond.

At 7 that evening, Whalen heard somebody coming in through the back door of the house, so she went to check. She saw Miller yelling and pouring gasoline throughout the home, according to court documents. Miller also allegedly poured gasoline on Whalen, and she ran from the house with her son, sister and mother.

The other two counts of attempted murder relate to the other people in the house.

As authorities responded, they received calls that the house was engulfed in flames. Miller was found at a gas station in the 7700 block of Northeast 117th Avenue, a short drive from the house. Authorities said he had been severely burned.

Whalen was treated at Southwest Washington Medical Center and released that day. Miller, who at one point was in critical condition, still receives ongoing care for his burns, deputies said.

Laura McVicker: 360-735-4516 or laura.mcvicker@columbian.com.

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