Second person connected to suspected arson attempt appears in court

A second person connected what authorities say was arson recently appeared in court.

Skylar Basina, 32, Bayfield, is accused of being an accomplice alongside to setting a bear camp located at 33905 on Highway 13 in Russell on fire on May 12. Noah P. Schmitz, Bayfield, has also been charged.

Basina made his initial appearance on June 25, but did not have an attorney to represent him by that time. An adjourned initial appearance has been scheduled for July 2.

Basina is charged with three counts of arson to a building as a party to a crime and one count of criminal damage to property as a party to a crime.

According to the criminal complaint, Schmitz told investigators May 12 was a “day of drinking” and Basina becomes hateful when he drinks. Schmitz and Basina agreed they would set the bear camp on fire because “some people believe the bear dogs are being used as tools and mistreated,” Schmitz told law enforcement.

Authorities said Schmitz and Basina set ablaze a cabin, a metal storage building and a shed. The two reportedly had talked about burning down the camp before, but never followed through with it.

Schmitz told law enforcement the arson was not planned. He said Basina used a pocket lighter to start the fire. The two made multiple trips back to the camp after starting the fire because “Basina had to keep seeing how it was burning and after that had to let the dogs go,” the complaint stated.