Trial delayed for teen accused of arson at KC Tesla dealership. Here’s why
The trial of a Parkville teen accused of using a Molotov cocktail to start a fire at a Kansas City Tesla dealership has been delayed until next year, according to online court records.
A federal judge signed an order Monday allowing the trial to be continued and rescheduled for Aug. 10, 2026, according to U.S. District Court records in the Western District of Missouri.
Owen McIntire, 19, faces charges of malicious damage to property and possession of an unregistered destructive device. If convicted of both offenses, he could be imprisoned for up to 30 years.
McIntire pleaded not guilty to the charges May 16. He has been out on bond since April 25, living with his parents in the Parkville home where he grew up, according to court records.
Fire at Kansas City Tesla dealership
McIntire is accused of making an incendiary device known as a Molotov cocktail and using it to start a fire at the Tesla dealership on State Line Road on March 17.
Around 11:16 p.m., a Kansas City police officer noticed smoke coming from the Tesla parking lot while he was driving by, according to court documents.
The officer saw a gray Cybertruck on fire and a broken Molotov cocktail nearby. A burnt rag was found on the pavement near an apple cider vinegar bottle, police said in court documents.
The officer tried to extinguish the burning car, but the fire spread to a second Cybertruck. The Kansas City Fire Department responded to put out the blaze.
Two Cybertrucks were damaged in the fire, valued at $105,485 and $107,485, according to court documents.
Surveillance footage and DNA evidence allegedly contributed to McIntire’s arrest, as well as phone and digital records and the discovery of his hat in a Leawood backyard, court documents read.
Trial delayed
The trial was initially set for Aug. 11, according to court records. The postponement comes after McIntire’s attorneys filed a motion for continuance on June 27, asking the court for more time to complete discovery and prepare.
“The Court finds that it would be unreasonable to expect (McIntire’s attorneys) to prepare this case adequately for trial prior to August 10, 2026,” the judge’s motion reads.
The court order said delaying the trial until next year would provide the defense “reasonable time necessary” to prepare.
“The Court finds that the ends of justice served by granting a continuance outweigh the best interests of the public and the defendant in a speedy trial,” the court order reads.
The Star’s PJ Green contributed.
