The Oceanside Fire Department in California deals with arson cases every year, with the latest incident involving a minor accused of setting 14 fires in the Loma Alta neighborhood over about 10 days.
OCEANSIDE, Calif. (FOX 5/KUSI) — The Oceanside Fire Department deals with arson cases every year. The most recent incident involves a minor accused of setting 14 fires in the Loma Alta neighborhood over about 10 days.
Randy Hill, assistant fire marshal for three years, said the fire department typically sees a few arson cases each year.
“I would say we probably get a handful, maybe, a year,” Hill said.
Hill said cases often require close coordination with the Oceanside Police Department.
“When it happens, it’s a collaborative effort with the Oceanside Police Department,” Hill said.
Hill said the latest case followed a pattern in time and location, prompting fire and police to use undercover officers to monitor the area.
“In this case, he was setting them [fires] during certain time frames of the night in a certain radius where all the fires took place. With communication between the two departments, we had undercover people in certain areas and were able to catch him in the act,” he said.
San Diego courts treat arson cases with strict seriousness, emphasizing the importance of thorough evidence collection.
“Anytime we bring a case to any attorney’s office, the more evidence and information we give them, the better off it’s going to be,” Hill said.
Criminal defense lawyer Gretchen Von Helms said that sentences can be severe.
“The courts take it very seriously for arson. Typically, it can be up to nine years, depending if there is great bodily injury or if you injure a firefighter. If you have a prior for arson, it can be up to life in prison,” Von Helms said.
While arson cases happen every year, Hill said prompt arrests and close coordination with prosecutors help keep communities safe.
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