A Vancouver teenager was released to his parents Friday after appearing in Clark County Juvenile Court in connection with a July 5 fireworks fire that destroyed a Felida home.
Nicholas E. McRaney, 16, has been placed on house arrest until his trial, which isn’t yet scheduled. He’s set to be arraigned Aug. 1 on a charge of first-degree arson.
McRaney and Andrew A. Perez-Garcia, 18, are accused of intentionally placing a fireworks device on the house’s front law and aiming it at a bedroom window.
Perez-Garcia appeared in Clark County Superior Court on Thursday and is scheduled to be arraigned July 31 on a charge of first-degree arson. He was released on $15,000 bail Thursday.
The fire destroyed the home at 100 N.W. 108th St.
Perez-Garcia initially denied that he was involved in the fire but later confessed after confronted with his Facebook posts, which showed photographs of a similar type of fireworks device and a different house burning, wrote Clark County Deputy Fire Marshal Curtis Eavenson in a court affidavit.
The fireworks ignited a bush next to the window; flames then spread under the eaves and into the attic of the ranch-style home. Once in the attic, flames spread throughout the house.
A family that was renting the house was not home at the time of the fire.
The home, a Spanish-style ranch house valued at $133,800, was determined to be a total loss, said Clark County Fire Marshal Jon Dunaway. Property records show the owner is Corley Wooldridge.
During firefighting efforts, a firefighter from Clark County Fire District 6 was injured when a section of the ceiling collapsed on him. He was transported by ambulance to a local hospital, where he was treated and released.
The firework was labeled with a warning that the device “shoots flaming balls,” according to the court affidavit.
Court records show that McRaney worked as a sign holder at a fireworks stand until two weeks ago.
Dunaway said the investigation is ongoing and may result in additional arrests and charges.
Neither McRaney nor Perez-Garcia has a criminal history. McRaney’s Facebook page shows that he is or was a student at Columbia River High School.
