Yuma, Arizona - On 12/28/14 at approximately 10:50 pm officers with the Yuma Police Department were dispatched to assist the Yuma Fire Department with a suspicious fire at the Stewart Vincent Wolfe Creative Playground within the West Wetlands Park located at 282 N. 12th Avenue. Upon arrival the playground was found fully engulfed in flames. Visitors to the park were evacuated while the Fire Department worked to contain the fire.
Update: On the evening of Sunday, December 28, 2014, at approximately 10:50 PM, on-duty staff of the Yuma Police Department and Yuma Fire Department responded to an active fire that had engulfed the Stewart Vincent Wolfe Creative Playground located within the West Wetlands Park. The following morning confirmed the fear that the community-built playground was a total loss and also marked the beginning of an extensive investigation by investigators of the Yuma Police and Fire Department. The ensuing investigation soon led investigators to believe that the fire was most likely intentionally started.
For the next 3½ years, Police and Fire Department investigators, led by Yuma Police Department Case Detective Eric Fell, spent countless staff hours and resources in their effort to determine the identity of the person or person/s responsible for setting the playground on fire.
During the course of the investigation, one particular male suspect was developed through interviews and eventually became the focal point of the investigation. This suspect was identified as Kane Perez, currently 17 years of age.
On Monday, August 6, 2018, Kane Perez was interviewed by Yuma Police staff and admitted to setting the fire that consumed the Stewart Vincent Wolfe Creative Playground on the night of December 28, 2014.
A long form complaint seeking felony charges on Kane Perez for his role in the arson of the Stewart Vincent Wolfe Creative Playground has been forwarded to the Yuma County Attorney’s Office for their review.
The staff of the Yuma Police Department wish to thank the Yuma community for their support, cooperation and patience during this very difficult and lengthy investigation.