Cops: DeBeque teen set boy on fire
A 17-year-old DeBeque boy was arrested Tuesday by the DeBeque Marshal’s Office for allegedly squirting lighter fluid on a 14-year-old boy, then lighting him on fire.
The 17-year-old, whose name wasn’t released, is facing charges of child abuse, fourth-degree arson, third-degree assault and reckless endangerment.
The alleged incident happened on March 1 when five juveniles were at a residence at 864 County Road 339 in Garfield County, west of Parachute.
The victim was taken to St. Mary’s Hospital in Grand Junction the next day with a second-degree burn to his lower left leg.
According to a Garfield County Sheriff’s Department news release, the juvenile squirted lighter fluid on the pant leg of the victim and on the floor around the victim, then lit the floor on fire, which caught the pants on fire. Adults were at the residence when the alleged crime happened, but they reportedly were in another section of the house.
Based on the investigation, it seemed that the suspect intended to set the fire, but didn’t intend to badly hurt the victim, the news release said.
The news release said there have been other reports of the suspect playing with fire and those reports are under investigation by the DeBeque Marshal’s Office and the Garfield County Sheriff’s Department.
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