A convicted arson and his wife, who studies wind and weather, were hit with misdemeanor charges by the Los Angeles County District Attorney for driving a decommissioned fire truck into the Palisades fire evacuation zone dressed as firemen this weekend.
Prosecutors filed a misdemeanor charge on Wednesday stating that Dustin Nehl, 31, and his wife Jennie, 44, drove an old fire truck, bought at an auction and labeled with a fake fire company name, “Roaring River Fire,” into a restricted area at the Palisades Fire site. The couple was also charged with impersonating fire officials, prosecutors say, after they were caught wearing CAL-Fire t-shirts under turnout gear and were carrying radios tuned into first responder stations.
In 2017, Dustin Nehl was sentenced to a five-year prison sentence in Oregon for arson and criminal mischief, followed by 3 years of post-prison supervision, according to a news story in Oregon. Jenni Nehl, according to a Facebook post, trains incarcerated teens on how to be “weather-ready nation ambassadors” under her maiden name, Hastings, at a juvenile detention education center in Oregon. With Hastings, the teens created raps called “Weather Slaps” that address windstorms, weather safety, climate change, and how environmental disasters affect poorer areas more than richer ones.
In November, Jennifer had a girl named Makenna. According to Dustin Nehl’s YouTube account, the baby later passed away. According to Nehl’s criminal complaint, the couple is also dealing with what authorities call a “Suspected Child Abuse Report” related to the charges mentioned in the complaint. No more information about those charges was provided.
A day after a couple linked to climate activism was arrested, the FBI increased its efforts to find a well-known eco-terrorist who has been on the run for decades and is guilty for many arsons and fire bombings.
The FBI says Overaker used to be a wildlife fireman, just like Dustin Nehl. The FBI stated that the wanted person led a domestic terrorist group named “The Family,” which is a branch of the Animal Liberation Front. Investigators describe it as the most active domestic terrorism group at that time. Federal authorities have accused Overaker and 10 others of multiple arson crimes, including a major fire that destroyed a Vail, Colorado ski resort in 1998.
CAL-Fire has not yet figured out what caused the deadly and damaging wildfires. The origin of the Palisades Fire, which on Thursday had been 72% contained after ripping through more than 23,000 acres, killing eleven people and injuring three civilians and a firefighter, is listed as “Under Investigation” by the ATF, who has more than a dozen agents on the ground “to determine the origin and cause of the Pacific Palisades Fire,” according to a press statement.
As of Thursday, the Eaton Fire in Altadena is 91% controlled after burning over 14,000 acres. The fire caused the deaths of 17 people and wounded 9 firefighters, as reported by CAL-Fire. They also stated that the cause of the wildfire is still being looked into. Since January 7, when the Palisades fire began around 10:30 a.m., there have been many wildfires that caused several evacuations.
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