You value independent local news, so become a sustainer today to power our newsroom.
The Couple That Caused The El Dorado Fire At Their Gender Reveal Has Pleaded Guilty
Smoke from the El Dorado Fire that started Sept. 5, 2020 in San Bernardino National Forest.
(
Zach Behrens
/
US Forest Service
)
The couple who caused 2020's deadly El Dorado Fire in the San Bernardino Mountains has pleaded guilty to charges including involuntary manslaughter and recklessly causing fire to inhabited structures.
How it happened: In high September heat, the couple set off a smoke bomb at their gender reveal party sparking a fire which quickly spread and threatened communities in the San Bernardino Mountains.
The charges: Refugio Jimenez Jr. pled guilty to three felony charges, including a charge of involuntary manslaughter. Angelina Jimenez pled guilty to three misdemeanor charges.
The punishment: Refugio Jimenez Jr. faces a year in jail, 200 hours of community service, and two years of felony probation, according to the San Bernardino County District Attorney's office on Friday. Angelina Jimenez will face 400 hours of community service and one year of probation. The couple was also ordered to pay over $1.7 million in damages.
The damage: The El Dorado fire killed one firefighter and burned more than 22,000 acres in Riverside and San Bernardino counties over two months.
Trending on LAist
-
The award-winning taquero Victor Villa made a cameo during the 60th Super Bowl. -
The female wolf was spotted Saturday morning in Lancaster. -
FIFA World Cup ticket draw winners have been notified. But if you missed out, there's still a chanceThe next opportunity is called the Last-Minute Sales phase, which FIFA has said will open in early April. -
Strategic Actions for a Just Economy, or SAJE, issued a report Thursday focused on L.A.'s financial exposure as host city. -
L.A. politicians say Wasserman's leadership is a distraction after newly released emails between him and convicted sex trafficker Ghislaine Maxwell. -
Board of Supervisors approves an “all-of-government” approach to protecting public health amid rising temperatures.
Best of LAist
