Kathe Tanner
The Tribune (San Luis Obispo, Calif.)
(MCT)
Apr. 8—The man accused of starting the Dolan Fire in Big Sur was found guilty of more than a dozen felony charges Thursday, including arson and cruelty to animals.
According to a Monterey County District Attorney’s Office news release, Ivan Gomez, 31, could serve up to 24 years in prison following the conviction.
Gomez was found guilty of 16 felony charges, which included arson in the Los Padres Forest and being responsible for the blaze that seriously injured a firefighter and destroyed multiple residences, as well as 11 counts of cruelty to animals — the fire killed multiple endangered condors and affected more — and other crimes.
According to the media release, on Aug. 18, 2020, at about 8:15 p.m., state park officers saw a fire cresting a Los Padres Forest ridgeline known as “top of the world.” At about the same time, officers were dispatched to deal with a man who was throwing rocks at vehicles on Highway 1 and the Lime Creek Bridge.
When officers contacted the man, later identified as Gomez, he told them he’d started the fire at an illegal marijuana grow on the other side of the ridge and had killed five men.
Although a multi-week investigation by the US Forest Service Region 5 Wildland Fire Investigation Team and others found no evidence of homicide, they confirmed the fire did in fact originate at the grow site.
Since his arrest, Gomez had been held in jail on $2-million bail. Gomez’s attorney argued that he had a history of drug use and might not have had full control of his faculties when he told sheriff’s department detectives he started the fire.
The judge is expected to sentence Gomez on May 18.
Firefighter recovering from Dolan Fire injuries reacts to ruling
The Dolan Fire burned 124,924 acres and wasn’t declared contained for more than four months, due in part to the remote nature of some of the burning terrain. At times, the huge blaze threatened the usually busy Highway 1 scenic byway and two iconic bridges on it.
The rampaging conflagration cost at least $62 million to contain, destroyed 14 structures — including 10 residences — ruined multiple condor nesting structures and caused 12 condor birds to perish, injuring several more.
Several firefighters were injured fighting the Dolan Fire including the seriously injured fire Capt. Casey Allen from the Nacimiento station, who is still recovering from his wounds.
On Friday, Allen reacted to the verdict with mixed emotions.
He’s facing more medical treatments and possible surgery, including a vascular procedure in mid-April to improve blood flow to his injured left ankle, recommended amputation of two fingers on his left hand and some lifelong impairments.
Allen told The Tribune that while the judge’s ruling left him “happy that (Gomez) was found guilty on all counts, it’s a kind of melancholy feeling.”
“发生了什么,发生了,”他说。“他应该punished for what he did, but nothing can take away the injuries, the pain.”
Allen reflected back on his testimony March 28, which happened to be his birthday.
“It was a really emotional day,” he said. “I expressed my concerns … told the whole story about what happened that day and my injuries.”
