Family: More To To Arson

Family members believe 17-year-old Will Hill shouldn’t have been alone when he appeared in court Tuesday, accused of trying to burn down the Lincoln County Courthouse.

They doubted that the Davenport boy, facing a first-degree arson charge, intentionally started the Dec. 21 fire.

Whatever happened, they say two other boys with whom Hill had been drinking probably were involved.

Hill’s aunt and uncle, Judy and Steve Hart, cite a letter Hill wrote following his arrest, begging for someone to persuade the other boys to “tell the truth.”

The Harts say Hill and his friends were drunk the night of the fire, consuming a fifth of 151-proof rum. They say one of the boys got the potent liquor as a birthday present from his mother.

“Where’s the public outrage with parents buying booze for these kids?” Steve Hart asked. “I know good and well that if Will hadn’t gotten tanked up he never would have gotten involved in any of this.

“He is not a leader; he’s a follower.”

The Harts said Hill admits breaking into the courthouse but insists he didn’t set the fire.

Steve Hart speculated that the fire may have been accidental. He said Hill told him, “We were throwing things around.”

At the time of the fire, Hill was a suspect in a Nov. 12 incident in which Davenport resident John Brown Jr., 19, was beaten, choked and punctured with darts. Hill was charged with second-degree assault and unlawful imprisonment, but plans to plead guilty to reduced charges on Feb. 16, defense attorney John Strohmaier said.

Three other juveniles already have been convicted in the assault, and trials are pending for two adults.

Nine days after the assault, Brown told The Spokesman-Review that Hill and a 15-year-old boy - who pleaded guilty Tuesday and got a suspended sentence - urged the others to break off the attack.

Superior Court Judge Philip Borst denied a request Tuesday to reduce Hill’s bail from $50,000 to $20,000 and scheduled a hearing next week to decide whether the defendant should be prosecuted as an adult.

Prosecutor Ron Shepherd said he hasn’t made up his own mind yet.

Hill’s parents divorced when he was an infant, and he had a turbulent childhood in Snohomish County, relatives said.

He moved to Davenport about two years ago with his grandparents, Al and Darlene West, and his 10-year-old sister, Desiree. His brother, Chris, 19, just got out of Marine boot camp and is stationed at Whidbey Island.

The younger Hill children live with their grandparents because their mother, Thonia, has lymph cancer. She underwent a bone-marrow transplant last month in Seattle.

Judy Hart said Hill was taken in chains to visit his mother briefly when she almost died from a blood clot.

The boy’s legal problems culminated a disastrous year for the family. The Harts’ son, Steven, 7, died of cancer in July and Steve Hart, 36, had triple heart bypass surgery in November.

On Tuesday, Judy Hart learned one of her uncles died.

Will Hill had a shaky start last year at Davenport High School, but made great strides this year in his quest to complete 10th grade, Principal Harold Patterson said.

“He had even started trying out for wrestling and I believe he had his grades up to where he was eligible to participate,” Patterson said.

Al West said Hill’s brushes with the law - including theft of the family car - were triggered by alcohol and drugs.

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