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Teen torched his 1992 BMW because he hated it, say cops
The 18-year-old, who set the car on fire in front of his apartment building, was videotaped in the act by the complex's surveillance cameras. (Newsday.com)July 17, 2009 | Permalink
Comments
At least it was his own car.
The article doesn't say that he tried to file an insurance claim on it or if he owed any money on it. Soooooo is it arson if it's your own property and you don't try to file an insurance claim? I can understand the reckless endangerment charge but I honestly don't understand the other charges.
Posted by: twerp | Jul 17, 2009 10:16:52 AM
Slow news day.
Posted by: sometimesilie | Jul 17, 2009 10:54:49 AM
has a previous violation of some sort...
explains the brilliant idea to burn the car
mental gigantism at its finest
Posted by: Lambiepie | Jul 17, 2009 11:24:19 AM
IT WAS HIS AFTER ALL
Posted by: MONKEY JERKm | Jul 17, 2009 11:26:40 AM
Mmmmm! Beemer toast...
The charges for arson and endangerment fit. The larceny is from an unrelated incident.
Posted by: RockyMtnMac | Jul 17, 2009 11:38:27 AM
I would guess the arson would be mainly for burning something in city limits, so long as he didnt pursue an insurance claim. Most cities do have bans against burning things inside city limits, other than grills. If he had been on private property somewhere far enough away, noone would have cared.
Posted by: anon | Jul 18, 2009 10:32:09 PM
hey,FOOL..ever hear of a TRADE-IN? sheesh..wonder if he torches anything ELSE he hates? watch out,neighbors.
Posted by: nunya | Jul 19, 2009 5:52:02 AM
Yes, there should have been a little more research into the ownership of the car, but it really doesn't matter.
The definitions of arson in the US has been modified over the years to be damage to simply "property", because the old state codes that specified building and structure types were constantly being upgraded, changed (and of course challenged), so yes, this is arson, even if the property was 100% his. The other odd thing (addressing anon's comment) is that current statutes don't really take into consideration WHY the fire is set, so motive isn't important. This takes care of the guy who tosses a cigarette out the window or shoots a bottle rocket into brush and causes a major wildfire. ("Malice" used to be a condition, but that became another broad term that was hard to pin down so it was tossed.)
Now, this doofus should also be making sure he doesn't have to face the additional charges dangling over his head if he doesn't remove the wreckage. Many years ago, I had a friend completely rebuild the engine in used car I had bought. After he was done, we cranked it up and went shopping for some BBQ supplies. We came out of the supermarket to find the local fire department getting things wrapped up after putting out a fire. Involving my car. Which was now a pile of scorched twisted metal. (The fire chief figured that a gas line was nicked and dripped onto the hot manifold. And you know the sucky part? If my car was gonna burn up, I WANTED TO WATCH IT!)
I had NO idea how to get the carcass carried off (it was late Saturday night), but I thought I could wait until Monday to worry about it. (Young, broke, stupid, you know the drill.) Never fear; the next day, I had a visit from the local PD informing me that failure to remove it within 48 hours would constitute FELONY LITTERING, punishable by 30-90 days in jail and a $6000 fine. AND I WOULD HAVE A FELONY ON MY RECORD! (I felt SOOOO Arlo Guthrie. Look it up.)
Well, a friend with a front-axle dolly managed to get two wheels caught and we hooked a second dolly to the other axle. We only had to tow it to private property a few blocks away to the home of another friend who would let us park it in his back yard until we could do otherwise.
Moral of the story: It ain't over YET, Bocephus!
Posted by: Duck Woodiedick | Jul 19, 2009 8:14:01 PM
I am not weeping for the future of America anymore.
Time to take back my country...
A serious ass whoopin' is in order here.
Posted by: angrysockmonkey | Jul 20, 2009 4:50:08 AM
