16-year-old Elfrida boy pleads not guilty to burning, vandalizing school
Trial set for Dec. 16

By XAVIER ZARAGOZA
The Douglas Dispatch
Published/Last Modified on Tuesday, August 12, 2008 6:47 PM MDT


Sixteen-year-old Manuel Corona pleaded not guilty Monday afternoon to arson and vandalism of the Valley Union High School in Elfrida, 26 miles north of Douglas.


A pre-trial conference was set for Oct. 24 at 9.m. in Division 3 of the Superior Court in Cochise County, said chief criminal deputy county attorney Doyle Johnstun.

Trial for the boy was set for Dec. 16 at 9.m. in Division 6, with Wallace Hoggatt as presiding judge.

Corona, of Elfrida, is being held at the Cochise County jail in Bisbee.

He was charged with one count of arson, two counts of burglary of a nonresidential structure and three counts of aggravated criminal damage.

In the early morning of July 23 Corona set fire to the administration building, which destroyed many offices there, including the principal’s and superintendent’s offices. He also vandalized the science room. Total damages to both buildings are estimated at more than $300,000.

Corona will be tried as an adult, Johnstun said.

High school officials said they have had to reorganize their space at the school in order to accommodate the administrative staff.

Copyright © 2012 Douglas Dispatch

Comments

    jennifer wrote on Oct 24, 2008 9:13 PM:

    " you know the funny thing about this is that he is not yet convicted but people in elfrida are acting like he is. why does this people hate him so much they don't even know him "

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