Indiana man faces charges in Catalina Island blaze
An Indiana man charged with starting the Santa Catalina brush fire in May will face two felony counts of recklessly causing a fire, the Los Angeles County district attorney’s office said Tuesday.
Gary Dennis Hunt, 49, will be brought to Los Angeles this week by arson investigators, and his arraignment is tentatively scheduled for Monday in Long Beach.
Hunt was arrested Saturday in Indiana and waived extradition to Los Angeles.
He was working as a subcontractor on the island, using an open-flame torch to cut cables on the island’s radio tower when the fire started and spread out of control.
Several structures and a home were destroyed, and 4,000 acres of brush were burned. Signs warning of extreme fire danger and prohibiting open flames were clearly posted on the island, said Deputy Dist. Atty. Ann W. Ambrose.
If convicted, Hunt faces a possible maximum term of just over eight years in prison, officials said.
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