12-year-old arsonist admits setting fires

A 12-year-old Gardnerville Ranchos boy admitted Tuesday that he set a wood fence on fire last week in the 1300 block of Yellowjacket Lane.

"I did it," Marcus Jacobs told District Judge Dave Gamble.

He ordered the boy to remain in juvenile detention pending further evaluation.

Jacobs lives with an elderly relative.

"Me and my friend were bored," Jacobs said. "We were in the back alley and lit some sage brush on fire," he said.

He also told the judge he'd set several sagebrush fires two weeks ago.

"We just lit a little corner of the sagebrush. We thought it would go out because it was windy and the wind would blow it out," he said.

Jacobs' lawyer, Derrick Lopez, said his client didn't intentionally set the fence on fire, but it caught fire from the sagebrush.

"When a person lights a fire, what burns, burns," Gamble said.

Jacobs and a 13-year-old were stopped at Bluerock Park after the fire on July 10. Jacobs was taken into custody and the 13-year-old was released to his father , according to East Fork Fire Capt. Terry Taylor.

Personnel responded to the Yellowjacket from East Fork and Ranchos fire departments, seasonal firefighters and Ranchos volunteers.

Gamble set disposition for Aug. 9, and scheduled a hearing for next Tuesday to determine Jacobs' custody.