Rim Fire Charges Dropped

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rwedgee

Ice climber

Topic Author's Original Post - May 4, 2015 - 07:30am PT

http://www.news10.net/story/news/2015/05/01/rim-fire-tuolumne-emerald/26742251/

Federal prosecutors have decided to not press charges against a man suspected of starting the huge 2013 Rim Fire west of Yosemite because two witnesses critical to their case have died. News10/KXTV

STOCKTON - The man who was charged with starting the devastating Rim Fire in 2013 with an illegal campfire won't face those charges after all.

The charges were dropped after two witnesses in the case died: one from a workplace accident and the other from heart issues.

Keith Emerald of Columbia faced the possibility of 11 years in federal prison for allegedly letting a campfire get away from him at the bottom of the Tuolumne River Canyon. He was also charged with lying to prosecutors about what happened.

But the U.S. Attorney in Sacramento announced without those witnesses, it would be unlikely his office could secure a conviction.

"That's pretty sad. We're pretty disgusted if it's his fault. He should pay the consequences," said Ken Canobbio, whose home near Pine Mountain Lake was threatened by the fire.

The potential witness who died in a workplace accident was an acquaintance of Emerald who spoke with the suspect shortly after the fire started. The other man was a Cal Fire pilot who was a member of the team which rescued Emerald from the canyon.

The Rim Fire was the third worse fire in California history. It destroyed 11 homes, caused 10 injuries, and cost $125 million to fight.

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