Man Arrested for Child Endangerment After Explosion/Fire in McKinleyville

This is a press release from the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office. The information has not been proven in a court of law and the individuals described should be presumed innocent until proven guilty:

Capture

On Saturday, April 11, 2015, at approximately 2:15 pm, the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office and the Arcata Fire Department were dispatched to the 2200 block of Terrace Lane in McKinleyville for a reported explosion and subsequent structure fire. Upon arrival, Christopher Newcomb (Age 25), was contacted while attempting to extinguish a fire in the garage area of the residence with a water hose. The Arcata Fire Department was able to extinguish the fire.

Newcomb told a Sheriff’s Deputy that he and another identified male subject were making hash inside the garage area of the residence, utilizing a butane extraction method, when fumes from the butane exploded. A door leading from the kitchen area into the garage was open, and a 16 year old juvenile was standing in the doorway. In the living room area, was an adult female, a 14 year old female, and an infant child. Flames from the explosion entered the kitchen and living room area from the open doorway. The intensity of the fire was so hot that it melted the blinds in the living room and kitchen windows. The 16 year old male juvenile received minor burns and declined medical treatment. The 14 year old juvenile female was uninjured and declined medical attention. The adult female, the infant, and the adult male fled the residence prior to law enforcements arrival and were reported uninjured. Newcomb received minor burns as a result of the explosion, but declined medical attention.

Humboldt County Drug Task Force personnel were summoned to the scene and conducted an investigation. Agents obtained a Humboldt County Superior Court search warrant. During a search of the residence, agents located and seized approximately 109 pounds of marijuana, concentrated cannabis, 12 tubes used in the hash extraction process, a vacuum dehumidifier, a handgun, a shotgun, a rifle, and US Currency. Agents also observed hundreds of empty canisters of butane inside and outside of the residence.

Newcomb was arrested for felony child endangerment, and possession of clandestine laboratory narcotic equipment. He was booked into the Humboldt County Correctional Facility, and his bail was set at $500,000.00. Agents will be seeking charges against the adult male who fled the scene.

The Humboldt County Drug Task Force would like to remind everyone of the dangers involved in the chemical butane hash extraction process. This process can lead to explosions, fire, and fatal injuries to those involved and in the nearby areas.

Anyone with information for the Humboldt County Drug Task Force Office regarding this case or related criminal activity is encouraged to call the Humboldt County Drug Task Force Office at 707-444-8095.

 

Earlier Chapter: Residential Fire in McKinleyville

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9 Comments
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Gina
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Gina
8 years ago

Freaking creeps are putting the whole neighborhood in peril! Good work, deputies

Not your concern
Guest
Not your concern
8 years ago
Reply to  Gina

Wow yeah good job deputies but behind every action is a reason. It isn’t right what he was doing but who are you to call anyone names huh Gina? Who are you to judge. Let the right person deal with it . Good day

tortured mind
Guest
tortured mind
8 years ago
Reply to  Gina

Yeah Gina who says he is a creep? You well according to him your a creep. Why not let the judge declare who is the creep. Now keep your fingers crossed

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[…] block of Alliance Road around 2 p.m. yesterday. (That explosion was followed within 15 minutes by another in McKinleyville also believed to be caused by an illegal butane extraction lab.) According to Sgt. Chris Ortega, “On the initial search for additional victims, items were […]

Lazy Skunk Ranch
Guest
Lazy Skunk Ranch
8 years ago

Sad that we’ve exported all the jobs and people must resort to making butane hash to cover the expenses of living in what once was a prosperous, free society. Getting rid of property tax would make it easier for people that aren’t employed through tax collection to afford to live the life our founders wanted us and our future generations to have. Stories like these just show how bad things are and just how deep the welfare state has cut into society. Welfare is taking money from taxes, someone working in government is on welfare because they don’t earn their own living, but steal it from those that do.
Making property taxes illegal and cutting the entire government workforce by 50% would force those on welfare to learn how to make their own living in the free market. Personal accountability has been lost in the rise of the welfare state that is being forced on all of America by city folk with a hatred of rural values.

Not your concern
Guest
Not your concern
8 years ago

yay for welfare helping those who lose their jobs and help provide for their families until they get another . Don’t judge people one day it might be you on the other end . People it is sad when someone has to go to this in order to get money due to the lack of employment . Employers make it hard to even get a job at McDonald’s for some smh. Sad world

Lazy Skunk Ranch
Guest
Lazy Skunk Ranch
8 years ago

Most people on welfare never get off and out of the system. Many retire with a welfare pension and continue to loot for decades, even after they claim to no longer be on welfare.
Rugged people built the country, not welfare.

Not your concern
Guest
Not your concern
8 years ago

The funny thing about welfare these days is you are only allowed it for a period of time and they make you look for work. You should learn more about it before you try to put facts out there . Clearly your misinformed. I know people who work for the county . And I know people who have been on welfare and are doing just great now after their temporary time of being on it.

Lazy Skunk Ranch
Guest
Lazy Skunk Ranch
8 years ago

People that work for the county are on welfare, too. They retire on welfare and raise generations of children that also partake in welfare.

If you collect any type of payment from be it the federal, state, county, or local government, you are on welfare.

Only self made people that work in the free market, are not on welfare. Those people are the only Americans left in a society that is on welfare.