Runyon Canyon hikers stop suspected arsonist during brush fire
Fashion designer Davanh DiMarco was hiking with her partner Scott Mitchell, a former University of Kentucky wide receiver, when she spotted a man coming out of the bushes seconds after the fire started.
"I'm like that's odd, but maybe he was just trying to go to the rugged terrain," DiMarco said. "Then, like 15 seconds later, the tree was on fire."
After connecting the dots, DiMarco shouted for people to stop the man as he tried to get away.
"Guy's about 150 yards away. I had to track him down, run him down," Mitchell said.
Mitchell and another hiker stopped the man from running away until park rangers arrived and arrested the suspected arsonist.
"We feel the magnitude more now because we understand what it could have been," Mitchell said.
The flames burned near the Sunset Fire scar, one of the several wildfires that threatened Los Angeles County homes in early January. Firefighters doused the fire with water drops and held it to less than an acre.
Law enforcement has not identified the suspect. Prosecutors have not charged him as of Monday.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Washington Post
an hour ago
- Washington Post
Justice Dept. asks for names, records of noncitizens in California jails
The Justice Department is asking sheriffs in California, including in major counties such as Los Angeles and San Francisco, to provide lists of all prisoners and detainees who are not U.S. citizens, in the latest escalation of the Trump administration's battle with Californian authorities over immigration. The DOJ said in a Thursday statement that it was seeking information including the crimes noncitizens were arrested for or convicted of, as well as their scheduled release dates. The department said it 'hopes' sheriffs in California will produce the information voluntarily but added that it would 'pursue all available means of obtaining the data, including through subpoenas or other compulsory process' if necessary. 'Removing criminal illegal aliens is this Administration's highest priority,' Attorney General Pam Bondi said in the statement. 'I look forward to cooperating with California's county sheriffs to accomplish our shared duty of keeping Californians and all Americans safe and secure.' However, the sheriff of Los Angeles County, the nation's most populous, pointed out the request would not be feasible, given that California legislation prohibits law enforcement from asking about immigration status. The rule, a central part of California's status as a so-called 'sanctuary state,' came into effect in the early days of President Donald Trump's first term in 2017, and means that law enforcement does not generally cooperate with federal immigration agents. Trump unsuccessfully tried to appeal California's sanctuary law at the Supreme Court toward the end of his first term. More recently, in June, the Justice Department sued Los Angeles city officials over its sanctuary city laws, claiming they interfere with the federal government's enforcement of immigration law. On Thursday, Justice Department chief of staff Chad Mizelle shared a copy of one of the letters, addressed to Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna, on social media, asking for the information on prisoners and detainees within 30 days. Luna told a news conference Thursday that he had not yet officially received the letter, but explained that his department 'complies fully' with state legislation passed in 2017 and a county policy from 2020, which prevent local law enforcement agencies from cooperating with federal immigration officials under most circumstances. 'We will only transfer an individual into ICE custody if we are presented with a federal judicial warrant that's signed by a judge,' he said, adding that his department 'does not ask, nor does it possess, any information about citizenship for the status of individuals in our custody.' However, Luna noted that fingerprints taken during booking and processing are uploaded to a national database available to federal and other law enforcement agencies. California has been a major front in the Trump administration's immigration crackdown. Last week, a federal judge temporarily blocked the administration from conducting indiscriminate immigration stops in the Los Angeles area, which has been the site of mass demonstrations against ICE raids. And earlier this month, a migrant worker died after he was injured during an immigration raid at a farm in Southern California. A spokesperson for California Attorney General Rob Bonta also questioned the legality of the request in a statement to local media, including the Los Angeles Times. While Californian state law 'allows county jails to transfer an individual into ICE custody if ICE presents a criminal arrest warrant for a violation of a federal criminal immigration law,' the spokesperson said, 'it does not allow for the wholesale notification to DOJ of individuals housed in county jails, regardless of whether or not they have even been found guilty of a crime.' San Francisco County Sheriff Paul Miyamoto said in a statement cited Thursday by the San Francisco Chronicle that the 'federal government already knows the identity and has the fingerprints of every inmate in San Francisco's jails. If the federal government has a legal reason to arrest someone, they can do so by obtaining a criminal warrant or a court order.' 'My priority is public safety — not politics — and we will not foster fear in immigrant communities by acting as an arm of immigration enforcement,' he added. During the 2024 presidential race, Donald Trump promised to deport millions of undocumented migrants and his administration soon issued quotas to ramp up immigration arrests. Earlier this week, The Washington Post reported that Trump immigration officials and the U.S. DOGE Service are seeking to use a Medicare database that includes sensitive health and personal information for immigration enforcement efforts.
USA Today
an hour ago
- USA Today
Man charged with impersonating a firefighter; fire truck reportedly seized
A man is being charged with over two dozen felonies and is accused of impersonating a firefighter during the deadly Palisades fire in California, according to officials. 'This defendant's alleged actions reflect a disturbing pattern of lawlessness and disregard for public safety,' Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan J. Hochman said in a statement. Steve Farzam, 46, was accused of crimes that span from 2023 to May 2025, and is accused of impersonating a firefighter, assaulting a first responder, and targeting an aircraft with a laser, according to a press release the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office emailed to USA TODAY. Farzam was arrested and charged on Wednesday, July 16, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department. He is being held without bail. "If proven, this type of escalating conduct undermines the integrity of our emergency response systems and erodes public trust and we will use every legal tool available to hold the defendant accountable," Hochman said. During his arraignment, Farzam pleaded not guilty, according to the press release. He is scheduled for a preliminary hearing on July 28. Police search Farzam's home and seize evidence: Reports Authorities seized two vehicles with California-exempt license plates from Farzam's house, according to reports by CBS News and local news station KTLA. The outlets also report that a fire truck was seized, but it is not immediately clear if the fire truck was one of the two vehicles. Inside the vehicles, officials found the following, according to CBS News: Farzam, who owns the Shore Hotel, according to CBS, allegedly used the hotel as a base for fraudulent activity. USA TODAY has reached out to the Los Angeles County District Attorney for more information. What was Farzam charged with? Farzam was charged with 23 felonies and five misdemeanors, according to the press release. Farzam was charged with the following felonies, according to the District Attorney's Office: He was also charged with two counts of impersonating a fire officer and three counts of trespassing on closed lands, which are considered to be misdemeanors. If found guilty on all charges, Farzam could face up to 23 years and 10 months in state prison. Julia is a trending reporter for USA TODAY. Connect with her on LinkedIn,X, Instagram and TikTok: @juliamariegz, or email her at jgomez@
Fox News
an hour ago
- Fox News
Vikings receiver Jordan Addison pleads no contest in DUI case, agrees to lesser charge
Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Jordan Addison pleaded no contest to a lesser charge in a 2024 DUI case that saw the third-year player arrested after he was found asleep behind the wheel of a car in California. Addison, 23, agreed to a "wet reckless" plea, which in the state of California is a misdemeanor reckless driving charge that indicates that drugs or alcohol were involved. "While Mr. Addison's case would have made for a great trial, I admire him for taking responsibility by accepting the City Attorney's 'wet reckless' offer,'" Addison's attorney, Jacqueline Sparagna, said in a statement. "Now, he can put this incident behind him and solely focus on his promising career." A first-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, Addison was arrested after police in Los Angeles found him asleep behind the wheel of a white Rolls-Royce, blocking a lane near LAX. As part of his plea, Addison will have to complete two online courses and pay a fine. His 12-month probation could be lessened to six months, but Addison could still be subject to further discipline from the NFL. "We have been closely monitoring all developments in the matter which remains under review," the NFL said in a statement Thursday, via ESPN. According to the outlet, Addison said last summer that he plans to accept whatever decision the league makes regarding the incident. "Whatever's out there for me, whatever comes with it, I'll own up to everything. I feel like anything that comes my way is meant to happen or is deserved." In a statement posted on social media, Addison's agent said that the NFL player has "kept the organization apprised throughout these legal proceedings, and will continue in his full commitment to being a valuable member of his team." In two seasons with the Vikings, Addison has recorded 133 catches for 1,786 yards and 19 touchdowns. Follow Fox News Digital's sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
