A Colorado man was charged with arson after an investigation right into a wildfire this summer time that destroyed 29 properties and induced greater than $30 million in property injury, authorities stated.
Jason Alexander Interest, 49, was arrested final week, Larimer County Sheriff John Feyen stated. He appeared in courtroom on a first-degree arson cost in reference to the fireplace, which began on a visitor ranch the place he labored west of Loveland, about 60 miles north of Denver.
His bail was set at $450,000.
The hearth escaped a fireplace ring on the visitor ranch on July 29, Feyen stated. It’s unclear whether or not it was intentional or unintentional, he stated. The wildfire, which additionally broken 4 different properties and destroyed 21 outbuildings, burned 15 sq. miles of land earlier than it was contained on Aug. 17.
The price to place out the fireplace was greater than $11 million, District Legal professional Gordon McLaughlin informed the courtroom.
Interest was fired from his job on the visitor ranch after he turned a suspect within the hearth, Feyen stated.
Interest is also charged with impersonating a police officer, menacing and false imprisonment for allegedly stopping vacationers on the visitor ranch’s property whereas driving an SUV designed to appear like a regulation enforcement automobile. Interest reportedly represented himself as regulation enforcement, falsely informed people they have been trespassing, and pointed a firearm at them, investigators stated. That occurred in March 2023, one of many victims stated in courtroom on Wednesday.
Interest had a pickup truck outfitted to appear like a wildland firefighter truck and used it to get previous checkpoints in the course of the hearth, the sheriff stated. He’s additionally charged with two misdemeanor counts of impersonating a public official.
Interest’s bail was initially set at $250,000, however McLaughlin requested for it to be elevated to $1 million money. He stated he was involved Interest would possibly go away the realm and that he’s being investigated for fires set in Wyoming. McLaughlin didn’t say when or the place these fires occurred and courtroom officers stated the affidavit was sealed.
A public defender unsuccessfully argued for his bail to stay at $250,000, saying Interest had his personal enterprise and lived in Loveland together with his spouse.
Interest’s subsequent courtroom look is about for Sept. 24.
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Subjects
Disaster
Pure Disasters
Wildfire
Colorado
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