This property in the Shawano County town of Maple Grove, seen Oct. 18, 2022, is the location of a bonfire explosion that injured dozens of current and former Pulaski High School students. PC: Fox 11 Online
GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – A judge heard arguments Monday on if a civil lawsuit filed in connection with the Pulaski-area bonfire explosion should be dismissed before trial but did not issue a ruling.
Benjamin Van Asten, Isaac Nelson and his parents, Brady McAllister and his father, Brandon Brzeczkowski and Matthew Lindsley filed civil lawsuits against the same three defendants: Allan Eron, Samuel Armstrong and Tyler Frisch. They were among the more than dozen people who were injured when a partially filled drum of diesel and gasoline was tossed onto a fire Oct. 14, 2022, at a home in the town of Maple Grove, causing an explosion.
One of the insurance companies filed for summary judgment. That’s a request to dismiss the case before it gets to trial. The insurance company argued it shouldn’t have to cover the acts related to the explosion, but others disagreed. The debate focused on the issue of intent, and how that relates to coverage.
Attorneys also discussed Frisch’s living arrangements, and if his father’s insurance coverage would be required to cover him.
Judge John Zakowski said he plans to issue decisions in writing.
A state conference will be held June 19.
No trial date has been set.
Samuel Armstrong, the teen who threw the barrel onto the fire, was sentenced to one year in jail. Another person was prosecuted in juvenile court.
According to the criminal complaint, police responded to the Cedar Drive address after multiple teens were admitted to local hospitals after the explosion.
When police talked to Armstrong, he said he had been asking someone who lives at the house “all night to throw the barrel in the fire and finally at approximately 10:50 pm, (that person) told him to “just do it.”
After the barrel was thrown onto the fire, it was approximately half a second and the fire began shooting out. (Armstrong) indicated he backed away from the firepit and then went over to put the fire out that was burning VICTIM #4,” the complaint states.
After the fire was out, several people assaulted Armstrong, he said.
“Armstrong was asked about his alcohol consumption. He stated he consumed approximately 6 drinks. He indicated he was drinking Bush (sic) Light,” the complaint states.
The complaint then details accounts from some of the others at the party.
“Upon (the juvenile who charged) dropping the drum, Samuel Armstrong took his end of the drum and threw it into the flames of the fire. Instantaneously, I felt a really high volume of heat on my face and observed a very large eruption of flame all around me. I then observed multiple people running from the area of the fire. Multiple people were actively burning,” one witness is quoted as saying.
The Shawano County Sheriff’s Department has said at least 17 teenagers suffered burn injuries out of about 60 that were at the bonfire.
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