Two Teens Released On Home Monitoring In July 4th Fire Case

A Douglas County Superior Court judge has reduced bail for three of the five suspects held on charges related to the deadly Chelan Hills Fire in McNeil Canyon on July 4th.

Judge Brian Huber reduced bail from $1 million down to $100 thousand for Julian Mikityuk and Valentin Tabunscic, and both were released last week but were ordered to wear electronic home monitoring devices as their cases proceed.

Defense attorneys for both 19-year-old men persuaded Judge Huber to reduce bail because of a lack of prior criminal history for either man.

Huber also reduced bail from $1 million to $500 thousand for a third of five suspects in the case, Mark Okhrimchik

Court documents show two other suspects, David Radchanka and Michael Yakimov, remain jailed on the original $1 million bail at the Chelan County Regional Justice Center.

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Investigators say the five teens were part of a group of six young men who were responsible for igniting the deadly fire by recklessly discharging fireworks from the back of a pickup truck that was traveling on U.S. Highway 97 near the Beebe Bridge on the night of July 4th.

The fire, burned over 10,000 acres, destroyed 19 homes, injured six firefighters, and killed 69-year-old Robert Lister of Orondo.

Douglas County Sheriff Tyler Caille says his agency is still developing probable cause to arrest a sixth suspect.