Teen pleads no contest to setting another teen on fire on Oakland bus

A 17-year-old pleaded no contest Thursday to setting another teenager’s skirt on fire on an Oakland bus.

Richard Thomas took a deal in exchange for his no contest plea to a felony assault charge, which also alleges that he inflicted great bodily injury to Luke “Sasha” Fleischman, 18, according to Alameda County Assistant Dist. Atty. Teresa Drenick.

Fleischman, who identifies as neither male nor female, suffered second- and third-degree burns in the Nov. 4, 2013, attack.

Richard, who was 16 at the time of the incident, reportedly told a police officer that he set Fleischman’s skirt on fire because he was “homophobic.” Richard had been charged with a hate crime as an adult.

In an interview, Fleischman questioned whether Richard should be charged as an adult, saying, “I don’t want to be too harsh, just because people do dumb things.”

Richard is expected to be sentenced Nov. 14 to seven years in state prison.

He will return to court 90 days after his sentencing and his conduct will be evaluated.

If he maintains “good conduct” and participates in services and programs, he will be evaluated again before his 18th birthday in July 2015 and his sentence will be modified to five years in state prison, Drenick said.

“The victim in this case, as well as the victim’s family, have been kept apprised of the negotiations at every step of the way,” she said.

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