Overview
- Investigators say cellphone video shows several teens firing illegal fireworks from the bed of a moving truck along Highway 97 on July 4, 2026, and that a recovered “Trooper Turret” firework was found near the blaze’s origin.
- Prosecutors have charged 18-year-old Michael Yakimov with first-degree manslaughter, first-degree arson, first-degree malicious mischief and multiple counts of third-degree assault based on the evidence.
- Yakimov was arrested at his home in Kent in early September and is held on $1 million bail pending a court appearance where he will enter a plea.
- The July 4 fire spread quickly in low-humidity, windy conditions, burned about 10,000 acres, damaged or destroyed roughly 100 structures and caused about $6 million in estimated losses.
- Douglas County officials say they are seeking arrest warrants for additional teens believed to be involved and the case could lead to more charges as investigators review the new video and physical evidence.