PORT TOWNSEND — A teenage girl facing felony charges for the fire that destroyed Aldrich’s grocery store is headed for trial after a conditional offer to plead guilty has been rejected.
“Negotiations have broken down,” said Stacey Bennetts. “At this point it has to go to trial.”
Bennetts is a Seattle attorney who has been representing the girl, one of three teenagers accused of causing the Aug. 4 fire that destroyed the 114-year-old grocery building in the historic uptown district.
Her client is the only one who has not made a statement about the night of the fire, and Bennetts’ request to reduce the charge to a gross misdemeanor was rejected earlier.
Last week, the attorney notified prosecutors that her client — who like the other teens is not named in the PDN because of her age — was willing to plead guilty to the original charge of reckless burning if the victims would agree to a stipulation that she and the other teenager facing prosecution would pay off what they could in two years in lieu of a set amount in restitution.
‘Nothing specific’
Jonathon Ryweck, who with his partner David Hamilton owned Aldrich’s grocery, said that they dismissed the offer as vague.
“It sounded like nothing to us because we heard nothing specific,” Ryweck said.
“There was no number given, nothing in writing. These two juveniles made a terrible mistake, but we don’t think they should get off scot-free, which is what their attorney is asking for.”
Police say the fire started in the early hours of Aug. 4 from embers of a fire that started in a paper recycling bin.
One teenager gave evidence in exchange for immunity from prosecution.
The second, a boy, reportedly admitted taking part in the circumstances which led to the blaze.
All were 14 years old at the time.
Under juvenile law, the felony charge can be removed from the two teenagers’ records after two years if restitution awarded by the court has been paid.
Otherwise, the charge sticks for life.
Last chance to plead
“It was our last-ditch effort to plead to a felony,” Bennetts said.
“These kids are not going to be able to pay, and their parents aren’t either.”
The girl, now 15, lives with her grandparents, who are retired, and was on the honor roll at school.
But she felt so much persecution after her name was published in a weekly newspaper that they rented an apartment in a different county so that she could go to school there, Bennetts said.
She now wants to return to Port Townsend to work, but cannot find a job with the felony charge hanging over her, Bennetts said.
