He's Gonna' Need a Bigger Paper Route . . .

[Perknose]

Teen who started massive Oregon wildfire with fireworks must pay $36 million, judge rules.

I applaud holding the dipshit fully responsible for his actions. Maybe he can do what other high-profile assholes do, and write a book, with the proceeds going to the victims.

One thing I fear? Copycat assholes. Seriously. It's a chilling thought.

Anyway, I especially like these parts of his sentence, which I consider the "real meat" of the matter:

He [the teen] was sentenced to five years of probation and 1,920 hours of community service with the U.S. Forest Service, according to the Oregonian. He was also ordered to write apology letters to 152 people who because of the flames were trapped on the Eagle Creek trail, as well as to the city of Cascade Locks, the Forest Service, Oregon State Parks, the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs, and the state’s transportation department, among other groups.

And, as always, the devil is in the details, to wit:

Olson [the judge] noted in his opinion that the teen has some options for paying off the millions. The court could authorize a supervising authority to create a payment plan, he wrote. He also said it was possible for the teen to pay restitution for just 10 years if he successfully completed his probation, complied with payment plans and did not commit any other offenses.

Now, if we could only haul up our Asshole-in-Chief before a court and sentence him for attempting to burn down our democracy, with malice and ignorance aforethought.

 

[Viper GTS]

I don't really have a problem with the debt eventually going away. For the vast majority of people that's 20+ lifetimes of income, there's simply no reason to keep it over his head forever.

Viper GTS

 

[zinfamous]

I don't really have a problem with the debt eventually going away. For the vast majority of people that's 20+ lifetimes of income, there's simply no reason to keep it over his head forever.

Viper GTS

...kinda. If only medical debt could be handled in such a way. Debt that is accrued innocently and without choice, vs that imposed on a callous, violent, criminal act. Imagine how many medical bills this kid could pay off with with that $36 million. (granted, that money is obviously going towards the devastation that he created)

 

[Blackjack200]

...kinda. If only medical debt could be handled in such a way. Debt that is accrued innocently and without choice, vs that imposed on a callous, violent, criminal act. Imagine how many medical bills this kid could pay off with with that $36 million. (granted, that money is obviously going towards the devastation that he created)

Setting off fireworks is a callous, violent, criminal act?

 

[cytg111]

RIP Life. Yea it sucks yea he is a dipshit. Every single one of us could have been that jerk if the dice were cast a little different. 36m is a life sentence, if it were me I would take a hard long look at those 10 years and the probability of me going to make it and weight it against comitting to a life of crime right now. Think about it, if I actually studied crime instead of being motivated by an addiction and other stupid shit.. I could probably make that 36m in 10 years easy.. If I get caught well I was allready caught to begin with...
Just thinking out loud here of course, not serious...

 

[zinfamous]

Setting off fireworks is a callous, violent, criminal act?

I had already forgot the fireworks part. ....let's go with callous.

I get that kids are stupid and all that, but when you live in fire zones you tend to, or should, have an understanding of how to handle camp fires and that fireworks are generally not tolerated. But yeah, many people are stupid and things can quickly get out of control, but that is the point.

 

[KMFJD]

...kinda. If only medical debt could be handled in such a way. Debt that is accrued innocently and without choice, vs that imposed on a callous, violent, criminal act. Imagine how many medical bills this kid could pay off with with that $36 million. (granted, that money is obviously going towards the devastation that he created)

nvm

 

[zinfamous]

yeah no

So like, people choose to get a sudden terminal illness and therefore that debt, unlike in any other developed nation on the planet, should crush them for the rest of their lives?

 

[KMFJD]

So like, people choose to get a sudden terminal illness and therefore that debt, unlike in any other developed nation on the planet, should crush them for the rest of their lives?

sorry i read that completely wrong, your right, i somehow read that as medical student debt

 

[Blackjack200]

I had already forgot the fireworks part. ....let's go with callous.

I get that kids are stupid and all that, but when you live in fire zones you tend to, or should, have an understanding of how to handle camp fires and that fireworks are generally not tolerated. But yeah, many people are stupid and things can quickly get out of control, but that is the point.

Callous? I wouldn't say it was callous, I think it was just a 15 year old setting off fireworks.

 

[Perknose]

...I think it was just a 15 year old setting off fireworks.

It's not . . . just . . . a 15 year old setting off fireworks.

 

[zinfamous]

Callous? I wouldn't say it was callous, I think it was just a 15 year old setting off fireworks.

It's really hard to say with 15 year olds. That's certainly the lawyer's argument: "hey, he's just a 15 year old doing a stupid thing," which could certainly be true. But at the same time, that's an age where you tend to do stupid things, intentionally, for the "irony" of it. He could very well know what he was doing, but have no real perspective on the very real consequences of his actions. "Haha, wouldn't this be funny if I torch half of this state? Shya--like that would ever happen!"

 

[Blackjack200]

It's not . . . just . . . a 15 year old setting off fireworks.

Then what is it? Is setting off fireworks in the woods extraordinary behavior for a 15 year old?

It's really hard to say with 15 year olds. That's certainly the lawyer's argument: "hey, he's just a 15 year old doing a stupid thing," which could certainly be true. But at the same time, that's an age where you tend to do stupid things, intentionally, for the "irony" of it. He could very well know what he was doing, but have no real perspective on the very real consequences of his actions. "Haha, wouldn't this be funny if I torch half of this state? Shya--like that would ever happen!"

I haven't reviewed the case, just reacting to what people are posting here, is there any evidence that he had malicious intent?

 

[Viper GTS]

Then what is it? Is setting off fireworks in the woods extraordinary behavior for a 15 year old?

I haven't reviewed the case, just reacting to what people are posting here, is there any evidence that he had malicious intent?

I've not seen that reported.

As a society we are OK with sentences for rape and even murder having ends. What kind of society are we then if one mistake (however stupid) as a teenager is a life sentence simply because we can readily place a dollar value to it?

Viper GTS

 

[Hayabusa Rider]

Then what is it? Is setting off fireworks in the woods extraordinary behavior for a 15 year old?



I haven't reviewed the case, just reacting to what people are posting here, is there any evidence that he had malicious intent?

Ban fireworks!

 

[BoomerD]

Since he's a minor, I'm REALLY surprised they're not holding his parents responsible for the costs.

 

[hal2kilo]

Setting off fireworks is a callous, violent, criminal act?

In the middle of a bone dry forest. Yes!

 

[Blackjack200]

In the middle of a bone dry forest. Yes!

No.

 

[hal2kilo]

No.

Bottom line to me regardless of the arson, is that the ruling is completely ridiculous and makes a mockery of justice. It's obvious to anyone, that this kid will never pay back 36 Million dollars. Why make a stupid ruling. I like the kid having to apologize to all of those affected by the fire. I think he needs to do a few years of community service. End of story.

 

[Burpo]

As someone on the receiving end of a $50+ million dollar lawsuit summary judgement, I can tell you I complied with the restitution payment plan & probation, and successfully put that behind me for a much more palatable 5 figure amount, that stretched over 3 yrs. 10 yrs will be hard, but do-able & there's really no point in ruining the kids whole life for a stupid mistake..

 

[BoomerD]

As someone on the receiving end of a $50+ million dollar lawsuit summary judgement, I can tell you I complied with the restitution payment plan & probation, and successfully put that behind me for a much more palatable 5 figure amount, that stretched over 3 yrs. 10 yrs will be hard, but do-able & there's really no point in ruining the kids whole life for a stupid mistake..

What about the lives that were ruined by this kid’sstupid mistake?

 

[Blackjack200]

What about the lives that were ruined by this kid’sstupid mistake?

What about them? If you're suggesting that we should live in a community where we take care of each other and help each other when disasters happen, I agree. Their homes are just as gone as if a flash of lightning had started the fires.

 

[pmv]

To be clear, I don't have any real opinion, because I don't know anything about this sort of situation.

But, purely playing devil's advocate, I'm curious, how often would such fires occur without human intervention? Were the fireworks really a critical thing in causing an event that would otherwise never happen?

Partly I find myself thinking 'crikey, those woods were an accident waiting to happen - maybe they should either have removed them or stopped anyone building anything anywhere near them or venturing into them without accepting the risk'.

I mean, if multiple city blocks went up as easily as that, as a result of some kid firing fireworks off, there would be some serious questions asked about building codes. Why should nature get a free pass, eh?

(I can't read the original article because it refuses to accept I've turned my ad-blocker off...and even blocks the page it presents telling you how to turn off your ad-blocker! The web is going all to hell! Its all paywalls and malfunctioning adblockerblockers these days)

 

[hal2kilo]

What about them? If you're suggesting that we should live in a community where we take care of each other and help each other when disasters happen, I agree. Their homes are just as gone as if a flash of lightning had started the fires.

Well, you know revenge is a dish best served cold.