Los Angeles County authorities arrested a couple from Oregon impersonating firefighters after they tried to enter an evacuation zone with a fake firetruck. The two sported turnout gear over CAL-Fire t-shirts near the Palisades Fire.
What to know
The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Office said it charged 31-year-old Dustin Nehl, a convicted arsonist, and his wife, 44-year-old Jennifer Nehl, with impersonating firefighters and entering an evacuation zone on Saturday, Jan. 18.
A Los Angeles Police Department patrol unit driving near the Palisades Fire spotted the phony firetruck. Authorities said the couple purchased the vehicle at an auction and emblazoned it with the name of a fictitious fire department.
Police impounded the firetruck and said the couple claimed to be from the nonexistent “Roaring River Fire Department” in Oregon.
Police also confiscated the pair’s turnout gear, helmets and radios.
A motive for the crime remains unknown.
Suspect’s criminal history
Dustin Nehl served a five-year prison sentence after his conviction in 2017 for an arson spree in the city of Woodburn, Oregon.
His five-year prison sentence was followed by three-years of supervision.
However, it is unknown if he was still under supervision at the time of his arrest over the weekend.
Why it matters
Police have arrested several others impersonating firefighters near the Los Angeles fires in recent weeks.
Authorities said earlier this month that the department arrested a 34-year-old man wearing a firefighter’s uniform and carrying a radio as he looted items within an evacuation zone.
Looting has become a major problem for authorities already trying to get these historic wildfires in Los Angeles County under control.
Authorities have reportedly arrested dozens of people for criminal activity in evacuation zones since the fires erupted.
