3 Adult Teens, 1 Juvenile Charged With Sparking Table Rock Fire With Cigarettes

Three adult teenagers and one juvenile are facing charges for allegedly sparking the Table Rock Fire in South Carolina, which has burned more than 13,000 acres since it began on March 21.

The South Carolina Forestry Commission on Tuesday announced the arrests of Nyzaire Jah-Neiz Marsh,19, of Taylors, Tristan Tyler, 18, of Greenville and Isaac Wilson, 18, of Greenville. They were each charged with one count of negligently allowing fire to spread to lands or property of another. A juvenile suspect, who was not named, was charged with the same offense but was not booked, and was released to the custody of his parents.

Authorities said Pickens County sheriffs deputies, state park personnel and other first responders were searching for a missing hiker in Table Rock State Park on March 21 when they discovered the “rapidly growing” wildfire. The search group evacuated seven hikers, who were questioned about the origins of the fire.

Marsh, Tyler, Wilson and the juvenile were taken to the C. David Stone Law Enforcement Center in Pickens for follow-up questioning. SCFC investigators and Pickens County Sheriff’s Office detectives allegedly found evidence connecting the four suspects to the origin of the fire.

According to the arrest warrant affidavits, the suspects were smoking on a hiking trail at the park and “did not extinguish their cigarettes in a proper and safe manner.”

Marsh, Tyler and Wilson were booked into the Pickens County Detention Center on Tuesday and released on personal recognizance bonds of $7,500 each.