Wildfire victim’s family won’t influence charges, D.A. says
Washoe County District Attorney Richard Gammick said his decision whether to prosecute a man who accidentally set a Reno-area wildfire won't be influenced by the wishes of the family of the only person who died in it.
Two days after the Jan. 19 fire erupted and destroyed 29 homes, the children of 93-year-old victim June Hargis said there's no point to prosecuting him. She lived near where the fire broke out and died of smoke inhalation.
A report by fire investigators last week concluded that the blaze was caused by Lyle Teuscher's improper disposal of fireplace ashes in Washoe Valley .
