2 of 3 suspects in High Chateau fire return to court
Two of the three people accused of starting a fire that claimed more than a thousand acres of land and multiple houses in Teller County were in court Monday.
Keagan Owens and David Renfrow waived their rights to a preliminary hearing. The two, along with a juvenile from Colorado Springs, are charged with first-degree arson.
A judge set the hearing for their formal charges to be read at 1:30 p.m. on November 19.
According to arrest documents obtained by KRDO NewsChannel 13, the suspects had permission to camp on private property and arrived at approximately 6 p.m. on the night before the fire. (PHOTOS)
The documents indicate that all three suspects gathered firewood for the campfire, but that Renfrow actually lighted it — even though the county was currently in a Stage II fire ban that prohibited open burning, and Owens’ father had called his son to remind him of that fact.
The suspects had planned to spend the night camping, the documents revealed, but changed their mind after seeing a bear that evening.
According to the documents, the suspects poured water and dirt on the campfire and left at approximately 10 p.m., believing the campfire to be extinguished.
The High Chateau Fire went on to burn over 1,400 acres and destroy nine homes.
Investigators said they found the campfire ring with a temperature between 279 and 837 degrees.
