Three additional suspects arrested in Chelan Hills Fire investigation

EAST WENATCHEE — Three additional suspects have been arrested in connection with the Chelan Hills Fire, which killed an Orondo man, injured six firefighters, destroyed more than 100 structures and burned more than 10,000 acres, according to the U.S. Marshals Service and Douglas County Sheriff’s Office.

The U.S. Marshals Service Pacific Northwest Violent Offender Task Force arrested Valentin Valentin Tabunscic, 18, of Tacoma; Mark Okhrimchik, 19, of University Place; and Julian Mikityuk, 19, of Pacific on Thursday, Sept. 17, during a joint operation involving officers from the Eastern and Western districts of Washington.

The arrests follow the Sept. 2 arrest of Michael Yakimov, 18, of Kent, whom the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office previously identified as the primary suspect accused of igniting the fire. Yakimov was booked on charges of first-degree manslaughter, first-degree arson, first-degree malicious mischief and six counts of third-degree assault.

According to Douglas County detectives, multiple people allegedly fired Roman candles from a moving truck on July 4 while the county was under a burn ban prohibiting fireworks and open burning. Investigators determined the fireworks ignited dry grass along the roadway, starting the Chelan Hills Fire.

The fire was first reported at about 12:06 a.m. near milepost 233 on U.S. Highway 97. Douglas County deputies worked with local fire districts to deliver evacuation notices as the fire grew, and state mobilization was approved at about 4:30 a.m.

The wildfire burned more than 10,000 acres, destroyed more than 100 structures and caused more than $6 million in losses and property damage, according to the U.S. Marshals Service. Six firefighters were injured.

On July 5, deputies investigating a report of a missing resident found a vehicle that had gone off the roadway and was consumed by the fire. Human remains were discovered inside. The Douglas County Coroner’s Office later identified the person as Robert M. Lister, 69, of Orondo. His family was notified of the identification Aug. 31.

Douglas County detectives worked with the Pacific Northwest Violent Offender Task Force in Yakima to locate the additional suspects. State, local and federal investigators located the three in Western Washington before deputy U.S. marshals and task force officers carried out Thursday’s arrests.

“These arrests underscore the strength of our collaboration with the U.S. Marshals Service. By working together and acting quickly, we were able to locate and apprehend the three suspects, providing an important step toward justice for the life lost, the firefighters injured, and the community forever changed by this wildfire,” Douglas County Sheriff Tyler Caille said.

Chief Deputy U.S. Marshal Michael Leigh for the Eastern District of Washington said, “the hard work, great collaboration and swift action of law enforcement officers in Douglas County and across the state contributed to the successful apprehension of these three individuals. We will continue to aggressively pursue anyone involved in intentionally setting fires and destroying our communities.”

The U.S. Marshals Service said additional information about the defendants, charges and arrests will be released by the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office.

In a separate update Thursday, the sheriff’s office said Okhrimchik was arrested on an outstanding Douglas County felony warrant charging him with first-degree manslaughter, first-degree arson, first-degree malicious mischief and six counts of third-degree assault. Detectives took custody of him at the federal courthouse in Tacoma and transported him to the Chelan County Regional Justice Center.

The sheriff’s office had previously said similar arrest warrants were issued for three other suspects involved in the investigation. Thursday’s U.S. Marshals Service announcement identified Tabun, Okhrimchik and Mikityuk as the three additional suspects apprehended in Western Washington.

The sheriff’s office also plans to make the Chelan Hills Fire case file available on its website under the state Public Records Act. Its next update is scheduled by the close of business Oct. 14, with subsequent updates planned every 20 business days.

Editor’s note: An earlier version of this story misspelled the name of 18-year-old Valentin Tabunscic. The U.S. Marshals Service issued a correction confirming the spelling.