GOLDEN — A 15-year-old Bear Creek High student has been charged with starting the April 22 fire at the Lakewood school that caused an estimated $2.5 million in damage.
Charges filed today are first-degree arson, second-degree arson, fourth-degree arson and criminal mischief.
The unidentified boy had a court appearance today and was apprised of the charges. He has been held in the Mount View Juvenile Services Center. His next court appearance is May 14.
The boy faces up to two years in a juvenile-corrections facility.
“If he had been charged as an adult, which he wasn’t, these would have been felonies,” said Pam Russell, spokeswoman for the Jefferson County district attorney’s office.
A felony carries with it the possibility of a prison sentence. Russell said that because juveniles not charged as adults can’t go to prison, the charges are not felonies.
A second 15-year-old boy, also a Bear Creek student, has been identified as a possible suspect in the fire but has not been arrested, Russell said.
The second boy was taken to the Jefferson County Juvenile Assessment Center for evaluation and was released to his parents.
The DA’s office has until June 11 to file charges in his case.
West Metro Fire officials investigating the blaze at the school, 3490 S. Kipling St., said it was deliberately started shortly before noon on April 22 in the small gym, where gymnasts and wrestlers practice and compete.
There were no classes in the area at the time. However, there were 400 to 500 students eating lunch in the nearby cafeteria.
The school of more than 1,800 students and 125 faculty and staff was evacuated, and there were no injuries.
Students returned to class today for the first time since the fire. Air-quality testing and cleaning up of the extensive smoke damage throughout the school was required before reopening.
Ann Schrader: 303-278-3217 or aschrader@denverpost.com
