A young member of the
Los Coyotes Band
of Cahuilla and Cupeno Indians of California, has been charged with arson for starting a fire that burned more than 14,000 acres on the reservation.
Jeremy Ortiz, 23, was charged with aggravated arson and forest land arson. He's being held on $2 million bail.
Also charged with arson was Jesse Durbin, 23, who's being held on $2 million bail as well. Both are accused of starting the fire near the Eagle Rock Training Center, which the tribe leases to a private company for military and other uses.
No one was injured and only one structure burned but the fire caused more than $15 million to put out, authorities said. At one point, more than 2,100 firefighters were on the job.
Get the Story:
LOS COYOTES RESERVATION: Two suspects arrested in Eagle fire
(The North County Times 8/5)
Two suspects arrested in Eagle fire arson (The San Diego Union-Tribune 8/4)
Second Man Charged With Arson in Eagle Fire (The Lemon Grove Patch 8/4)
Related Stories:
Wildfire that burned Los Coyotes Reservation
blamed on arson (7/28)
Crews battle wildfire on Los
Coyotes Reservation in California (7/26)
Military used remote Los Coyotes site for just two
sessions (5/2)
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