Sailor accused of starting fire that destroyed the USS Bonhomme Richard facing court martial
A sailor accused of starting the fire that destroyed the USS Bonhomme Richard will face a court martial for arson, according to charges filed Friday.
Ryan Mays faces two counts in military court for the July 2020 blaze that injured dozens of personnel aboard the amphibious assault ship as the fire burned for five days and sent acrid smoke wafting over San Diego.
It marked one of the worst noncombat warship disasters in recent memory and the vessel had to be scrapped.
Navy prosecutors said at a December hearing that Mays set the fire because he was disgruntled after dropping out of Navy SEAL training. His defense lawyers said there was no physical evidence connecting him to the blaze.
Mays was charged with aggravated arson and the willful hazarding of a vessel.
Defense lawyer Gary Barthel said the decision to proceed to trial came despite a hearing officer's recommendation that there wasn't enough evidence to win a conviction after a preliminary hearing in December.
"In our perspective it's that the Navy's not looking for justice in this case," Barthel said. "What the Navy's looking for is to make Mays a scapegoat."
Barthel said Mays has always maintained his innocence and looks forward to proving it at trial.
