Lake Chelan Arson Suspect Receives 5 Year Sentence Recommendation

The arson suspect behind the Lake Chelan fire last summer is now facing a five-year prison sentence.

On March 1, 18-year-old Connor Leo Strange pleaded guilty to first-degree arson and two counts of second-degree assault.

On July 17, 2022, Strange led a police pursuit against Chelan County Sheriff’s Office deputies through Chelan.

Strange was trying to elude authorities due to a juvenile felony warrant out for his arrest, which was issued for second-degree criminal trespassing.

When he pulled over at the Lake Chelan Rodeo Grounds, Strange hid in a nearby barn and locked the doors with a padlock.

Shortly after breaching into the barn, deputies were knocked back by an explosion after the suspect lit a fire inside the building.

Strange was able to escape the barn but later apprehended him outside of the barn.

He was later taken to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle to treat critical burns.

Two Chelan County Sheriff’s Office deputies sustained concussions from the explosion.

Strange is facing up to five years in prison, an exceptionally low sentence suggested by prosecutors due to him being 17 years old at the time of the incident.

His sentencing hearing is scheduled for March 15.