Pine Island Men Facing Trial in 2014 Fire
Rochester, MN (KROC AM News) - Two Pine Island men have been ordered to stand trial on charges of accidentally starting a fire that wiped out a business in Zumbrota last year.
The two - 20 year old Samuel McPhail and 19 year old Tyler Lejcher - have been charged with a felony. A judge recently rejected their requests to dismiss their cases and set a trial date of October 5th. A settlement conference in both cases has been scheduled next month that could lead to a plea deal.
The fire was reported in the early morning hours of May 24 last year at the ATI Services/Agritech site and the building was fully engulfed when crews arrived. It took a few hours to get the fire out. Three other buildings sustained significant damage.
Investigators determined the fire was started by smoldering spent fireworks that had been left near the building.