Alleged fire-starter pleads guilty to car thefts

A man charged with causing a massive Aug. 5 fire in Evergreen was in court on Wednesday for unrelated felony charges.

Joseph Ray DeVera pleaded guilty to felony theft for stealing a Humvee from a shop on Oct. 19.

As part of a plea bargain, another felony theft charge for stealing a Chevy Impala on Aug. 16 was dismissed. A suspected methamphetamine pipe was found in the Impala, but drug charges did not result.

DeVera faces up to 10 years and prison and a $50,000 fine at his sentencing on Feb. 18.

For the fire case, DeVera will have an omnibus hearing in mid-February. DeVera is charged with misdemeanor negligent endangerment and faces up to a year in jail and a $1,000 fine if convicted.

According to court documents, witnesses identified DeVera as the possible cause of the fire, and when law enforcement interviewed him, DeVera said that a small fire ignited when the burning end of his cigarette was knocked to the ground.

The fire rekindled a half-hour later and DeVera told law enforcement that he tried to put it out with a blanket, but instead ended up fanning the flames to a point where the blaze was uncontrollable.

One man was burned on his shoulder while escaping the fire and another elderly woman avoided injury by being pulled over a fence by a sheriff’s deputy.

A massive firefighting effort was required to quell the fire on Mountain View Drive. Personnel from 12 agencies were assisted by two helicopters that made rounds overhead to drop water on the fire. Ten buildings and three homes were burned.

Reporter Megan Strickland can be reached at 758-4459 or mstrickland@dailyinterlake.com.