Father, son arrested, accused of arson in starting Caldor Fire
SOUTH LAKE TAHOE — A father and son have been arrested and accused of reckless arson in connection with the Caldor Fire, the massive wildfire that burned more than 200,000 acres in El Dorado and Amador counties, authorities said.
David Scott Smith, 66, and Travis Shane Smith, 32, were arrested on Ramey warrants. A Ramey warrant is issued before criminal charges are filed, the El Dorado County District Attorney’s Office said.
The two men are accused of violating section 452 of the California Penal Code, commonly referred to as “reckless arson,” which caused inhabited properties to burn and resulted in great bodily injury to multiple victims.
The El Dorado County District Attorney’s Office worked together with the U.S. Forest Service, Cal Fire, the California Department of Justice and the Sacramento County District Attorney’s Crime Lab to investigate the cause of the Caldor Fire.
“We are incredibly grateful for the work put into this investigation by all agencies involved, and look forward to following the process of prosecuting these arsonists,” the South Lake Tahoe Police Department said in a statement on Facebook.
Source: El Dorado County District Attorney’s Office
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