Yucaipa
Man Charged with ARSON

SEE Press
Conference https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0bAq-zxvAio
San Bernardino, California, August
7, 2017____ A press conference was held
today at 11:00 A.M. at the San Bernardino County District Attorney Office, 303
W. 3rd Street, at the first floor Media Room. District Attorney Mike
Ramos and members of the San Bernardino County Arson Task Force were present.
The purpose of the press conference was to announce the filing of multiple Arson-related
charges.
San Bernardino County Officials were: District
Attorney Mike Ramos, Sheriff John McMahon, Supervisor James Ramos, Fire Chief
Mark Hartwig, Cal Fire Matt Franklin, USFS Jaime Gamboa, and City of San
Bernardino Police Captain Ray King.
SAN BERNARDINO, Calif. – A 23-year-old Yucaipa
man was charged today with several felony counts of arson in connection with
multiple fires that burned over 900 acres and seriously injured one
firefighter.
Jarrod Samara was charged with one count of
Arson Causing Great Bodily Injury and eight counts of Arson of a Structure of
Forest. Click here to download a copy of
the complaint and click here to download a fact
sheet.
If convicted as charged, Samara faces 19 years
in State Prison.
“This arsonist will be held accountable to the fullest extent
of the law,” District Attorney Michael Ramos said. “The history of fires
in our county and the destruction they have caused to human life and property
is absolutely tragic. Thankfully, through the investigative work of our law
enforcement and public safety partners, we were able to stop this individual
and prevent any future destruction or potential loss of life.
Samara was arrested Thursday August 3rd
(See: http://www.bigbearlake.net/ETNews/ARSON-ARREST- , after San Bernardino
County Sheriff Deputies responding to reports of a vegetation fire on State
Route 38, observed a vehicle in the area where the fire originated and made
contact with the vehicle. The driver was identified as Jarrod Samara. After
further investigation, Samara was arrested.
“Using
investigative tools and gathering evidence led the Task Force to identifying
Jarrod Samara as the suspect responsible for at least 8 fires,” Sheriff John McMahon said.
“This is a perfect example of public safety agencies working together to keep
our communities safe.”
Samara is scheduled to be arraigned Monday afternoon at 1:00 P.M. at the San
Bernardino Justice Center in Dept. S-8. This case is a culmination of a Multi-agency
Arson Task Force involving the San Bernardino
County District Attorney Office, San Bernardino County Sheriff Department, San
Bernardino County Fire, Cal Fire, United States Forest Service, and the San
Bernardino Police Department.
Jarrod Samara 
“San
Bernardino County Fire takes arson personally due to the extreme threat to the
citizens we serve and the firefighters who put themselves between the fire and
communities they protect,” Fire Chief Mark Hartwig said. “Catching and
convicting these criminals is a high priority.”