Guilty pleas made in ACH school vandalism

EPHRATA — Two Almira teenagers have pleaded guilty to a break-in at Almira/Coulee-Hartline High School that left the 1920s-era building severely damaged by flooding.

The two youths were first arrested in January and accused of forcing their way into the school during last year's Thanksgiving break and stealing roughly $13,000 worth of digital cameras, laptop computers and other electronic equipment.

Before leaving the school, located in Hartline, the perpetrators unleashed a flood of water from three second-floor water spigots. Water rushed through the floor and into the walls, flooding classrooms and a gymnasium below.

A restitution report filed in Grant County Superior Court said property damage reached $465,507.

In a letter to the court, Superintendent Ed Fisk said parts of the building have been closed since the incident. Damage to a science classroom has prevented students from conducting their usual experiments.

"Almost 100 students lost three days of school because the building had to be closed … while the mess was cleaned up and damages were temporarily repaired," Fisk wrote in the May 22 letter.

Restitution hearings have been scheduled for later this month for both defendants, 18-year-old Maxwell Carl Werner and Andrew Dominic Ertz, who turns 18 Tuesday. Neither Werner, who earns $8 per hour working on a farm, nor Ertz have the financial means to pay the damage costs, court documents show.

On July 17, Ertz entered a guilty plea to second-degree burglary and first-degree malicious mischief. A charge of first-degree theft was dismissed.

He was sentenced to 30 days in juvenile detention, with 11 days already served. He was also ordered to complete eight months of community supervision and 80 hours of community service.

Ertz, who was represented by Moses Lake attorney Garth Dano, admitted his involvement and participation in the school break-in, but placed blame for the flood damage on Werner.

"My co-defendant, Maxwell Werner, turned on the water spouts in the hallways, which apparently flooded the building," Ertz said in court documents.

"I did not participate in this part of the crime and did not know Mr. Werner was going to do this," he wrote.

Werner, who turned 18 in March and has been represented by public defender Brian Gwinn, pleaded guilty to second-degree burglary, first-degree theft, first-degree malicious mischief and two counts of first-degree trafficking in stolen property, during a July 5 hearing.

Werner has a criminal history from Lincoln and Snohomish counties dating back to 2003. He faces between 17 and 22 months in prison when he is sentenced Aug. 29.

The Grant County Prosecutor's Office recommended Werner serve 18 months and pay restitution.