Sailor accused of torching USS Bonhomme Richard will go to court-martial, Navy decides
By Geoff Ziezulewicz
Feb 25, 02:36 PM
Seaman Recruit Ryan Sawyer Mays at his Article 32 hearing in San Diego in December. (Gregory Bull/AP)
The Navy announced Friday that it is taking to court-martial a junior sailor accused of setting the fire that destroyed the amphibious assault ship Bonhomme Richard in 2020.
“After careful review of the preliminary hearing report, (U.S. 3rd Fleet commander) Vice Adm. Steve Koehler … referred charges against Seaman Recruit Ryan Sawyer Mays to a general court-martial,” the San Diego-based 3rd Fleet said in a statement.
Mays is charged with aggravated arson and willful hazarding of a vessel in connection to the July 12, 2020, fire, which burned for days, led the Navy to scrap the $1.2 billion flattop and exposed systemic ship firefighting failures at all levels.
https://www.militarytimes.com/news/your-navy/2022/02/25/sailor-accused-of-torching-uss-bonhomme-richard-will-go-to-court-martial-navy-decides/
