Nearly two weeks after a suspect appeared in court for the first time, accused of starting the deadly Chelan Hills wildfire this summer.
Nearly two weeks after a suspect appeared in court for the first time, accused of starting the deadly Chelan Hills wildfire this summer, the Douglas County Sheriff's Office released new video showing how the fire was allegedly sparked.
The Douglas County sheriff claims 18-year-old Michael Yakimov tossed fireworks out of a truck to spark the blaze in July, and there are other suspects still missing.
FULL VIDEO: New video shows suspect shooting fireworks out of truck, sparking Chelan Hills Fire
The new video, obtained by KOMO News Tuesday through a records request, shows several people in the back of the truck, with one person firing the fireworks in all directions; investigators have not confirmed whether they were the outstanding suspects.
In the video, one person is heard saying, “shoot at them, shoot at them.” The suspect proceeds to shoot fireworks at an approaching SUV.
After the fireworks run out, the suspect then tosses the empty fireworks container from the truck.
The sheriff’s office believes there are five more suspects, all adults, who have yet to be arrested.
They face the same charges as Yakimov for being complicit. The Douglas County Sheriff's Office is urging them to turn themselves in to investigators.
The devastation from the fire is still visible from McNeil Canyon Road as families are rebuilding and recovering. While the deadly Chelan Hills fire wasn’t the largest wildfire in the county’s history, it was the most destructive, and his agency is working to bring those responsible to justice, the sheriff said during a press conference in early September.
At least 9,700 acres were burned, and more than 100 structures, including homes, were destroyed.
Investigators claim Yakimov was standing in the back of a white truck blasting illegal fireworks toward another vehicle with friends, but one landed in dry grass and ignited the wildland fire.
“This is the type of fire that will live with us for the rest of our lives,” Sheriff Caille said.
Robert Lister, 69, died in his car while trying to escape the fast-burning fire.
Detectives report a tip eventually helped them identify the suspect vehicle; then they followed its route to western Washington using cell phone data, surveillance, and Flock camera footage.
Yakimov is behind bars, on a $1 million bond.
