Ventura County won’t file criminal charges against teens blamed for 600-acre blaze
By Debbie Sporich
Acorn Staff Writer

Ventura County will attempt to recover $250,000 from the families of four teens who were charged with starting a 600-acre brush fire last Dec. 26, but have dropped all criminal charges against the three juveniles and one 18 year old in connection with starting the fire.

The blaze ignited near Lindero Canyon Road and spread across 600 acres of land. Ventura County Sheriff’s Department officers arrested in the early morning of the fire Chad Montagnino, 18, from Westlake Village, a Thousand Oaks male, 17, and two 16-year-old males from Agoura Hills for "carelessly causing a fire," a health and safety code violation. The three juveniles were transferred to juvenile facilities in Sylmar, and Montagnino was cited and released on $20,000 bail.

Sgt. Steve Bourke, public information officer at East Valley Station, said that the evening before the fire the mother of one of the 16-year-old boys had reported her minivan as stolen.

Authorities believe the teens drove the Dodge Caravan up a dirt road off of Lindero Canyon Road where it became stuck in dry brush. Officers speculate that while one of the teens tried to drive it out of the brush, it overheated and ignited the dry undergrowth.

Bourke said that while all four were arrested for causing the fire, no injuries and no property damage was reported and "the elements of the crime were not met to the satisfaction of the district attorney," so the charges were dropped.

However, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department arrested all four teens for the stolen vehicle offense. Sandi Gibbons at the L.A. County District Attorney’s office confirmed that charges were filed against one juvenile who had admitted to unlawful driving or taking of a vehicle. The court proposed a home-on-probation term that’s indeterminate, which means that the youth will need to keep checking with his probation officer. "At the moment, the other juvenile cases are being reviewed to determine if any other charges will be filed, but no charges were filed against Montagnino," Gibbons said.

Sandi Wells of Ventura County Fire Department said that the fire started at 2:26 a.m. on Dec. 26 and was 100 percent contained by 1:30 p.m. the same day. She added that it took 600 firefighters to fight the 600-acre blaze and that engines from Ventura County, Los Angeles County, the city of Los Angeles, the California Department of Forestry and Santa Monica, Beverly Hills, Santa Barbara and Oxnard fire departments were utilized in fighting the fire. Firefighters also received assistance from Ventura and L.A. county sheriff’s departments and the U. S. Forest Service.

Tankers helped extinguish the blaze, Wells said, and sheriffs’ departments provided officers as well as helicopters. "We had copters, six-winged aircraft and tankers, hand crews and dozers. And the hand crews and dozers did a lot of work afterward too," Wells said.

The county will seek restitution and will bill each of the families directly for the cost of fighting the fire. "They may choose to send it to their insurance company. If they deny payment, then we will go through the county counsel’s office and they will assist us in filing a civil suit against the children and the parents," Wells said.

Arve Wells, captain of investigations at East County Sheriff’s Station, said parents are responsible for providing oversight of their children.

"There are things that can happen that although in some regards may be viewed as unintentional, but they (parents) are still liable for it," Arve said.

He added that children have an obligation to act in a responsible manner, "especially at the ages we’re talking about here," he said.

"It’s a classic tragic situation for everybody involved," Arve said.