CHELAN — A man who set fire to a barn at the Chelan Rodeo Grounds while fleeing from deputies was sentenced this week to more than six years in prison.
Connor L. Strange, 18, previously pleaded guilty in Chelan County Superior Court to first-degree arson and two counts of second-degree assault.
Prosecutors had recommended a five-year prison sentence as Strange was 17 at the time of the incident. Judge Travis Brandt disagreed with the recommendation after one of the deputies injured in the fire provided a statement that he also disagreed with the five-year recommendation.
Brant sentenced Strange to 75 months in prison.
On July 17, 2022, Strange was involved in a pursuit with deputies through Chelan. Strange hid in a barn at the rodeo grounds before setting the structure on fire. The fire led to an explosion, injuring two deputies who were searching for Strange.
Strange sustained burns to his foot in the fire. He was taken into custody nearby and transported to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle. The two deputies sustained concussions and other minor injuries.
The barn was destroyed by the fire.