OROVILLE, California — A 26-year-old man is accused of starting a fire in California early in July by throwing a firework out the window of his car while it was hot, dry, and windy.
The Butte County District Attorney’s Office said Spencer Grant Anderson, of Oroville, was charged on Monday after being watched by police for weeks.
In the Oroville area of the northern Sacramento Valley, the Thompson fire burned almost 6 square miles (15.5 square kilometers), lost 13 homes, and damaged others.
Authorities say Anderson was jailed without release after going to court to face charges of setting fire to a dwelling, forest land, and multiple buildings, according to a statement from the prosecutor’s office.
The office said Anderson will go back to court on Wednesday to set new times for entering a plea and having pre-trial hearings.
Lawrence Pilgrim, Anderson’s lawyer, told The New York Times, “It was a long investigation with a lot of moving parts.” “Right now he is only being accused.” The Associated Press sent Pilgrim texts asking for comment, but he didn’t answer right away.
Authorities say the fire started just before 11 a.m. on July 2, when it was over 100 degrees (38 Celsius) outside, there wasn’t much humidity, and there were strong winds.
The next day, Anderson was identified after being seen in a car near where the fire started. He was then under long-term surveillance as police built their case. The office said that they concluded that a burning object was thrown from the car.
Anderson was caught on August 22 after warrants were served. Police say that while they were asking him, he admitted that he bought fireworks in Oroville and went there to test one by throwing it out of his car window.
