More than a year after a fire destroyed the Templeton Feed & Grain building and two silos, the case took a significant step forward in court Thursday. The man charged in connection with the fire finally entered a plea.
With his attorney, Tom Allen, by his side, 38-year-old Michael Steele, who is currently out on bond, pleaded not guilty to all charges in San Luis Obispo Superior Court.
Steele faces six counts alleging that he traveled with a 16-year-old boy to Bakersfield to purchase illegal fireworks and posted about it on social media. Prosecutors say those illegal fireworks sparked the Fourth of July blaze that smoldered for days and destroyed one of Templeton’s treasures.
“They were beloved in the community, and very tragic and very sad every time someone goes down Main Street in Templeton and can't see the granary anymore,” said San Luis Obispo County District Attorney Dan Dow.
Steele isn’t charged with actually setting the fire, but the teen is.
And, while it took nearly a year to come to fruition, both Steele and the juvenile are now facing criminal charges.
“We have to have sufficient evidence to prove it beyond a reasonable doubt before we even file it,” Dow said. “A lengthy investigation means that we're being very careful, both law enforcement and our office, to ensure that we have everything that we could possibly gather to make a decision that would be sound.”
Still, a piece of local history is gone.
For the owners of Templeton Feed & Grain, heartbreak has been met with an overwhelming wave of support. After the community came together to raise nearly $500,000, the focus is now on rebuilding and coming home.
“We've been focused on sourcing our product over in Penny-Newman. They're manufacturing all of our feed for us now, and my main focus is getting back onto Main Street and getting rebuilt back to our original store,” said Templeton Feed & Grain Vice President Rick Jermin.
Even after the fire, the business never stopped serving the community, continuing operations from a temporary location while looking toward the future.
Jermin says new building plans could be submitted to the county within the next few weeks. If approved, construction would begin immediately, with hopes of reopening at the original site by December.
“The structure was a loss, but I really feel that the community - the spirit - is still here,” Jermin said. “This is an ag community, and people really came out for us. We’re going to do the best we can to continue.”
Steele is scheduled to be back in court Aug. 17 for a pre-preliminary hearing.
