Man pleads guilty to lesser charge in antique…
Man pleads guilty to lesser charge in antique center fire
Signs for the Antique Center, at Eighth and Main streets, remind passers-by that the store remains open despite the June 26 fire that damaged the store.(Bill Husa/Staff Photo)<p class='dotPhoto'>All Chico E-R photos are available <a href='http://chicoer.mycapture.com/'>here</a>.</p>
By Greg Welter |
PUBLISHED: September 19, 2009 at 12:00 am | UPDATED: September 8, 2018 at 12:00 am
OROVILLE — A Chico man, suspected of intentionally starting a fire June 26 that heavily damaged the Eighth and Main Antiques Center, pleaded guilty to a charge of reckless arson in Butte County Superior Court on Tuesday.
Evan Paul Felver, 22 at the time of the fire, will be sentenced Nov. 6 and could receive up to three years in state prison.
Butte County District Attorney Mike Ramsey said Felver initially entered a plea of not guilty to a charge of arson to a structure, which carries a penalty of up to six years.
A plea bargain was reached and accepted at Felver"s preliminary hearing Tuesday.
In addition to prison time, however, Ramsey said Felver faces demands for restitution to merchants at the antique center totaling tens of thousands of dollars.
He said 40 letters went out to victims of the fire, many who lost large portions of their inventory. They were asked to detail their losses and send the estimates to the court.
The building also sustained heavy structural damage.
Ramsey said Felver claimed he was drinking with friends early on the morning of June 26 when they entered a doorway alcove at the antique center. Felver said he began using a cigarette lighter to burn spiders.
He said he noticed wood around a doorway starting to smoke and poured a beer on it to keep it from burning. He and his friends left the building, believing everything was all right, Ramsey said Felver alleged.
The fire was investigated jointly by the Chico police and fire departments.
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