Students charged in port-a-potty arson

Published 1:30 am Friday, May 8, 2026

Three Oak Harbor students are facing felony charges for setting fire to a port-a-potty at the skate park last summer, according to court documents

The three boys, two 15-year-olds and a 14-year-old, were charged in Island County Superior Court May 7 with arson in the second degree.

According to one of the reports by an Oak Harbor police officer, a witness reported that a portable toilet at Volunteer Park on Southeast Jerome Street was on fire and “melting” at about 6 p.m. The city’s fire marshal determined that the fire was intentionally set by an unknown incendiary device.

The police reports indicate that the flaming port-a-potty was right underneath a city surveillance camera that showed three juveniles entering it before the fire. One of the kids opens the door and appears to be filming the inside with a cell phone. All three teenagers leave the area and a plume of smoke can be seen pouring out of the portable toilet, a report states.

The police reports indicate, however, that the officer investigating the crime wasn’t able to access the Avignon camera system at the time and, as a result, wasn’t able to pull the video clip before it was too late, the report states.

Another officer’s report states that she was the only one with access to the Avignon video at the time because of “issues,” but it’s unclear whether she downloaded the video. The report states that she took screenshots of the suspects, which were used to identify them.

After the port-a-potty arson, the city of Oak Harbor released a statement on social media.

“We are heartbroken to report arson on a portable restroom at Volunteer Park. This is one of the worst cases of arson we’ve seen, and our staff is already working to assess the damage and begin the cleanup process, but the consequences of these actions go beyond just physical damage,” the statement read.