Man sentenced for starting fires

EPHRATA - A man will serve 60 days in jail for starting three

fires in Moses Lake on one night, destroying one building and

damaging a car and a trailer.

Kyle L. Phillips, 25, Moses Lake, pleaded guilty to two counts of

reckless burning in the first degree in Grant County Superior

Court.

EPHRATA - A man will serve 60 days in jail for starting three fires in Moses Lake on one night, destroying one building and damaging a car and a trailer.

Kyle L. Phillips, 25, Moses Lake, pleaded guilty to two counts of reckless burning in the first degree in Grant County Superior Court.

Prosecutors dropped three counts of arson in the second degree and one count of reckless burning in the first degree, vehicle prowling in the second degree and possession of stolen property in the third degree as part of a plea agreement.

Grant County Superior Court Judge John Antosz sentenced Phillips to 60 days in jail. Phillips had no prior convictions, leading to a sentencing range of zero to 90 days.

Phillips was walking home after drinking at a friend's house, when he broke into a vehicle on Gray Goose Lane and tried to start a fire using some paper in the car, according to a Grant County sheriff's report. The fire went out after a water bottle in the car broke.

Phillips left the car, walking to a garage on Konishi Road, where he entered and started a fire, according to the police report. He also started another fire in a nearby trailer.

A witness saw the fires, called 9-1-1 and spotted Phillips walking down the road, according to the police report.

Phillips admitted to starting the fire in the garage, saying he wanted to warm up, and lost control of the fire after putting a piece of plywood on top of it. He didn't remember starting the fire in the trailer.