Del Dios Middle School

A civil court will determine how much a 17-year-old youth, a 16-year-old girl and their families must pay for the youngsters' part in fires that caused $1.2 million damage at Escondido schools. That was the decision Tuesday of Judge Hideo Chino, a Juvenile Court referee, who rejected a recommendation by the county Probation Department that he assess each youngster $7,500 in damages. Instead, Chino ordered that the matter be decided in a civil-court action in which school and insurance authorities take part.

A civil court will determine how much a 17-year-old youth, a 16-year-old girl and their families must pay for the youngsters' part in fires that caused $1.2 million damage at Escondido schools. That was the decision Tuesday of Judge Hideo Chino, a Juvenile Court referee, who rejected a recommendation by the county Probation Department that he assess each youngster $7,500 in damages. Instead, Chino ordered that the matter be decided in a civil-court action in which school and insurance authorities take part.

Two of four Escondido high school students involved in four school fires and vandalism of a Catholic church were sentenced Wednesday in county Juvenile Court. A boy, soon to be 18, was sentenced to the California Youth Authority for a maximum of 10 years, 8 months. But his attorney, Richard E. Mills, said the youth will serve about 18 months before his release. Mills objected to the scheduling of a restitution hearing for the youth on May 23 as "a waste of time" because the teen-ager would, at best, be able to pay a maximum of "a dollar a week from his CYA earnings" toward the estimated $1.2 million in damage caused at Escondido High School, Orange Glen High School and Del Dios Middle School during an arson spree March 10 and 18. Deputy Dist.

Two of four Escondido high school students involved in four school fires and vandalism of a Catholic church were sentenced Wednesday in county Juvenile Court. A boy, soon to be 18, was sentenced to the California Youth Authority for a maximum of 10 years, 8 months. But his attorney, Richard E. Mills, said the youth will serve about 18 months before his release. Mills objected to the scheduling of a restitution hearing for the youth on May 23 as "a waste of time" because the teen-ager would, at best, be able to pay a maximum of "a dollar a week from his CYA earnings" toward the estimated $1.2 million in damage caused at Escondido High School, Orange Glen High School and Del Dios Middle School during an arson spree March 10 and 18. Deputy Dist.

That's no ordinary estate on the corner of Quiet Hills Drive, just outside Escondido. It's a Catholic church, a business office, a meeting place for ladies' tea groups and choristers, and home to Father James E. Rafferty. The young priest has lived in the two-story Tudor-style home since 1985 and is busily forming a new parish.

Four Escondido teen-agers pleaded guilty Thursday in Juvenile Court to a variety of charges in connection with four Escondido school fires that caused $1.2 million in damages. The four youths were charged with participating in one or more of the fires on March 10 and 18. Three of the teen-agers were also charged with breaking into and vandalizing the Church of the Resurrection Feb. 18. One 17-year-old youth pleaded guilty to four counts of arson involving fires at Escondido High School, Orange Glen High School and Del Dios Middle School and to a break-in at the Church of the Resurrection, all in Escondido.

Once the Del Dios schoolhouse stood alone in quiet fields of wildflowers at the side of a narrow black-topped street and was served by Escondido school buses. Now it is between two busy highways--Interstate 15 and Valley Parkway--and within the neon glare of a new shopping center. The school has not moved, but Escondido has grown out to surround it, turning the quiet byways into congested arterials.

Four Escondido teen-agers accused of starting school fires and vandalizing a church will be tried in Juvenile Court, Superior Court Judge Sheridan Reed ruled Friday. The youths, two 16-year-olds and two 17-year-olds, face numerous felony counts of arson, burglary, theft and vandalism in the $1.2-million school fires and church break-in, but sources close to the case indicated Friday that it is unlikely the teen-agers will be tried. A readiness hearing was scheduled for Thursday to determine whether a settlement can be reached in advance of a trial.

Charges of burglary and vandalism of a Roman Catholic church have been added to the arson charges against a group of Escondido teen-agers accused of setting four fires at three Escondido schools that caused more than $1 million in damages. As hearings began Monday to determine whether the teen-agers will be tried as juveniles or adults, Deputy Dist. Atty. Karen Walter added a break-in and fire at the Church of the Resurrection to charges against the teen-agers. They already face charges in four fires last month at Escondido High School, Orange Glen High School and Del Dios Middle School.

Four teen-agers charged in four Escondido school fires that caused more than $1 million in damage and an act of vandalism at an Escondido Catholic church may have been involved in witchcraft or magic, prosecutor Karen Walter said Wednesday. One of the four, a 16-year-old girl, had a collection of books on witchcraft and magic in her bedroom, according to police investigative reports. Graffiti found at two of the arson sites and crosses, uprooted and inverted during the church vandalism on Feb. 18, were also cited as possible evidence of witchcraft connections.

Four Escondido teen-agers pleaded guilty Thursday in Juvenile Court to a variety of charges in connection with four Escondido school fires that caused $1.2 million in damages. The four youths were charged with participating in one or more of the fires on March 10 and 18. Three of the teen-agers were also charged with breaking into and vandalizing the Church of the Resurrection Feb. 18. One 17-year-old youth pleaded guilty to four counts of arson involving fires at Escondido High School, Orange Glen High School and Del Dios Middle School and to a break-in at the Church of the Resurrection, all in Escondido.

Four Escondido teen-agers accused of starting school fires and vandalizing a church will be tried in Juvenile Court, Superior Court Judge Sheridan Reed ruled Friday. The youths, two 16-year-olds and two 17-year-olds, face numerous felony counts of arson, burglary, theft and vandalism in the $1.2-million school fires and church break-in, but sources close to the case indicated Friday that it is unlikely the teen-agers will be tried. A readiness hearing was scheduled for Thursday to determine whether a settlement can be reached in advance of a trial.

Four teen-agers charged in four Escondido school fires that caused more than $1 million in damage and an act of vandalism at an Escondido Catholic church may have been involved in witchcraft or magic, prosecutor Karen Walter said Wednesday. One of the four, a 16-year-old girl, had a collection of books on witchcraft and magic in her bedroom, according to police investigative reports. Graffiti found at two of the arson sites and crosses, uprooted and inverted during the church vandalism on Feb. 18, were also cited as possible evidence of witchcraft connections.

Charges of burglary and vandalism of a Roman Catholic church have been added to the arson charges against a group of Escondido teen-agers accused of setting four fires at three Escondido schools that caused more than $1 million in damages. As hearings began Monday to determine whether the teen-agers will be tried as juveniles or adults, Deputy Dist. Atty. Karen Walter added a break-in and fire at the Church of the Resurrection to charges against the teen-agers. They already face charges in four fires last month at Escondido High School, Orange Glen High School and Del Dios Middle School.

That's no ordinary estate on the corner of Quiet Hills Drive, just outside Escondido. It's a Catholic church, a business office, a meeting place for ladies' tea groups and choristers, and home to Father James E. Rafferty. The young priest has lived in the two-story Tudor-style home since 1985 and is busily forming a new parish.

Once the Del Dios schoolhouse stood alone in quiet fields of wildflowers at the side of a narrow black-topped street and was served by Escondido school buses. Now it is between two busy highways--Interstate 15 and Valley Parkway--and within the neon glare of a new shopping center. The school has not moved, but Escondido has grown out to surround it, turning the quiet byways into congested arterials.

A 12-year-old Escondido boy died when he collided with a truck while riding his bicycle early Thursday morning in Escondido, authorities said. The driver of the truck fled the scene but was arrested a short time later. The boy, Juan Aguirre, was cycling down a hill about 7:30 a.m. in the 1200 block of West 9th Avenue when he lost control of his bicycle, crossed over the dividing lane, and hit a truck driving in the opposite direction, Escondido Police Lt. Earl Callander said.

Arsonists set fire to three public schools in Escondido on Saturday night, causing more that $1 million in damage and taxing the Escondido Fire Department to its limit, police and fire officials said Sunday. "We had our hell night last night," said Capt. Richard Stuka of the Escondido Fire Department. "There were three fires, and we're sure that the same parties were involved in all of them." Hardest hit was Escondido High School, 1535 N.