7/2/2024

BAYFIELD - Another person connected to an arson at a bear camp in Russell has appeared in court. Skylar Basina of Bayfield appeared on the 25th, but did not have a lawyer present, so his initial appearance was rescheduled for today. 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 other person charged in the crime, Noah P. Schmitz has said that they had been drinking all day and had previously talked about burning the camp but never followed through. Schmitz also said the arson wasn’t planned but once the fire was started, Basina kept checking on the blaze to see how it was burning. The fire destroyed a metal storage building and a shed.