Juvenile’s bail set; in court Tuesday

PORT ANGELES — The juvenile male arrested Wednesday morning shortly after a fire destroyed the Dream Playground in Port Angeles made a first appearance in Clallam County Juvenile Court on Thursday afternoon.

He is being held in lieu of $100,000 bail for investigation of second-degree arson, resisting arrest and making false statements to law enforcement and will be back in court at 1 p.m. Tuesday.

The hearing will be held in Courtroom 2, but the case will continue to be tried in the juvenile court system.

“We will be charging. We are trying to determine between arson one and two because we might have an injured firefighter,” Tracey Lassus, Clallam County deputy prosecuting attorney, told Judge Simon Barnhart on Thursday afternoon. “We will be filing formal charges. We just don’t know at what level yet.”

“Indications are there might have been substances involved,” Lassus said. “We know he has completed treatment but not remained sober. I believe he will interfere with the administration of justice. I just don’t believe he will follow court orders.”

If he makes bail, the state’s request is he go from incarceration to an electronic home monitoring device, she said.

Barnhart said the conditions of release impose significant restrictions, including a high bail amount and a requirement for the court to approve where he would stay, if released.

“We have worked with you before,” Barnhart said. “By its nature, arson is a property crime. But we have the prospect of a first responder being injured.”

Barnhart said the juvenile was under conditions of release for another crime.

“I will adopt state’s conditions,” he said.