It’s been a harrowing day in Medina. This morning, a recent graduate of Medina High School set a fire in a backstage area of the Medina Performing Arts Center, which is part of the school.
Davon Phillips, 19, was charged with aggravated arson, a first-degree felony. He could face up to 11 years in jail. He’ll appear in court tomorrow morning.
The fire burned down a wood pile in the backstage room, but the sprinkler system and fire curtain worked perfectly to contain the blaze. Set pieces for upcoming shows “The Wizard of Oz” and “Songs of a New World” haven’t yet been constructed, so those potential losses were avoided, according to Performing Arts Center management.
Phillips, who graduated earlier this month, also works as a custodian at the school.
Any motive for the crime remains unclear.
This article appears in Jun 19-25, 2013.
sounds like a great kid. I weep for the future.
He’s 19? In his little picture up there, he looks about 10 years old.