Man accused burning Bathtub college has plea listening to delayed
The Bathtub man accused of setting the Dike Newell elementary college on hearth in June 2022 had his plea listening to delayed Wednesday.
Allan Thomas Vigil, 31, appeared within the West Bathtub District Courtroom, the place a 60-day continuance was authorized by Superior Courtroom Justice Daniel Billings, The Occasions Report reported.
The delay will permit for additional negotiations on a plea deal, Assistant District Lawyer Kent Murdick instructed The Occasions Report.
“It’s a reasonably difficult case. There are a variety of shifting elements,” Murdick acknowledged. “We count on him to plead responsible.”
Vigil’s legal professional, Jennifer Cohen, has proposed a 10-year jail sentence. Cohen maintains that Vigil has a historical past of developmental points, psychological sickness and suffered years of neglect and abuse, in accordance with Information Middle Maine.
He faces a most sentence of 35 years in jail for arson and housebreaking.
Vigil allegedly broke into the college the evening of June 10 final 12 months, and began a fireplace that rendered the college unusable. College students and lecturers have since relocated to the previous Bathtub Regional Profession and Technical Middle on Excessive Road.
Vigil reportedly began the fireplace at Dike Newell by turning on the kitchen’s propane range, after which igniting “a lot of paper” from a provide closet with a lighter. He evacuated the constructing after the fireplace alarm went off, then confessed his crime to police.
Vigil additionally set a number of fires round Bathtub in July 2013, together with on the Merrymeeting Middle for Youngster Growth. He acquired 4 years of probation and a 12-year suspended jail sentence in 2014.
Vigil is being held with out bail on the Two Bridges Regional Jail in Wiscasset, in accordance with The Occasions Report.
Vigil is due again in courtroom on Sept. 27.
