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Navy prosecutors claimed Monday that alleged arsonist Seaman Apprentice Ryan Sawyers Mays was "disgruntled" after dropping out of Navy SEAL training before setting the fire that destroyed the USS Bonhomme Richard last year.
If it is determined there is enough evidence in the hearing, Mays will be faced with a military trial. He was charged with aggravated arson and the willful hazarding of a vessel in connection with the incident.
Prosecutor Commander Rich Federico told the court that text messages show Mays was angry about being reassigned to the Bonhomme Richard and lied about his SEAL training to family and friends. Prosecutors also said that the day before the fire, Mays used foul language with officers.
For almost five days, Mays denied setting the Bonhomme Richard ablaze, injuring dozens aboard. According to court documents, he talked about assisting firefighters, alerting a crew member about the fire and helping to fight it.
His lawyers argued that the government did not properly share the information gathered against him. The Navy only recently gave the defense 28,000 pages of material and hours of footage that were impossible to review before the hearing on Monday, defense lawyers said.
The fire began July 12, 2020, in the lower storage area of the 840-foot amphibious assault ship while it was docked at Naval Base San Diego. It was undergoing a two-year, $250 million upgrade.
There had been around 160 sailors and officers aboard the ship at the time of the fire, which resulted in over 60 sailors and civilians receiving minor injuries including heat exhaustion and smoke inhalation. The ship suffered substantial structural, electrical and mechanical damage, causing it to be scrapped.
Mays was assigned to the ship after dropping out of training to become a Navy SEAL. He was described by some fellow sailors as a person with disdain for the Navy, according to investigators.
Mays has maintained his innocence and noted to investigators that he helped fight the blaze, which sent acrid smoke wafting over San Diego for five days.
Officials assessing the ship's damage found that three of the four fire stations on the ship had evidence of tampering: Fire hoses had been disconnected and one was cut, according to court documents.
Investigators also found uncapped bottles containing small amounts of highly flammable liquid near the ignition site, including one that tested positive for a heavy petroleum distillate such as diesel, kerosene or jet fuel, according to the documents.
Mays told investigators he was in the hangar bay when he became aware of the fire, according to court documents.
Winds coming off San Diego Bay whipped up the flames that shot up elevator shafts and exhaust stacks. Two explosions—one heard as far as 13 miles (21 kilometers) away—caused the fire to grow.
Dozens of Navy officials, including several admirals, face disciplinary action for systematic failures that investigators said prevented the blaze from being put out sooner, according to investigators.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
