Show law LaYl Officers Probe Car Burning Sanpete County law officers are continuing their investigation tion this week into the complete complete complete com com- destruction of one car and heavy damage to another Friday on the highway midway between Manti Mantl and Ephraim Completely destroyed by fire after it had first been stripped stripped stripped strip strip- ped was wac a 1967 model Mercury Cougar belonging to Gary Ray of Ephraim The second car a 1961 Dodge owned by Forest Washburn Manti Mantl was smashed According to Sanpete County Sheriff Grant K Larsen and Highway Patrolman Bert Will- Will den investigating officers both cars had been left alongside the highway Thursday night The Washburn auto had been left on the side of the highway after one of the tires had gone flat Mr Washburn's daughter was driving the vehicle Mr Washburn said that he went over and drove the car into the barrow pit and planned to come comeback comeback comeback back the next morning morningto to change the tire Mr Ray said his car driven by his wife lost a rear reaz wheeland wheel wheeland wheeland and went off the highway about 1015 pm p.m. only a few feet from the Washburn auto Mr Ray who was following in a pickup took his wife into Ephraim with the intention of returning for the car In the morning His wife although shaken up was as not Injured During the night vandals stripped the Ray car of Its wheels ls and stereo and set It afire They also pounded in the top of the vehicle The top of the Washburn auto was also bent in and all of the windows smashed The vandals then attempted to set fire to the auto by the use of three flares which were In the trunk of the Ray auto law officers report Mr Washburn stated that one of the three flares was thrown on the front seat while another found Its way to the floorboard of the car The third one landed The above photo shows the interior of the Ray auto as shown through the back window A white Dodge owned by Forest Washburn has bas all of its windows smashed out along In a wool blanket on the back seat None of the three flares ignited a blaze All AH three left burnt marks The dashboard of the white auto had also been stripped The fire was discovered about am a.m. by Layfe Boyington of ManU Mantl as he was on his way home from his work as a security guard at Snow College He alerted alerted alert alert- ed night watchman Tom Maylett of Manti Mantl Mr Washburn was also called Mr Washburn said ald that he he e eleft h left Immediately for the scene scene When he arrived he said that the fire had pretty well died down but that there was still sUll a great amount of heat coming from the Mercury Sheriff Larsen said that fingerprints fingerprints fingerprints fin fin- and other evidence obtained at the scene are now being studied Both cars were listed as total losses because the Washburn Wash- Wash Washburn Washburn burn car would cost for more to repair that it was valued at P i 44 r-r r 4 T s r p t The fire was so hot that the lead in the doors had melted and run out onto the ground f Sr 1 J v x 7 t 3 4 Ad r q r P Pr r r with the roof being bent in m. The vandals attempted attempted at at- tempted to burn bum interior of car but failed |