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A California university professor has been arrested on charges of arson in a series of suspected arson attacks near the state’s massive Dixie Fire, authorities said.
Gary Maynard, 47, is said to have taught classes at Santa Clara University and Sonoma State University, Sacramento’s FOX 40 reported, citing information from Maynard’s bio page on the website. ‘State of Sonoma.
This page was not working Tuesday night.
Maynard was facing charges of arson in connection with the ranch fire as well as unauthorized entry into a closed area, FOX 40 reported. He was arrested on Saturday following an investigation that began in July, depending on the resort.
DIXIE FIRE BECOMES LARGEST SINGLE WILDLIFE IN CALIFORNIA HISTORY
Court documents indicate that the Ranch Fire and six other fires started between July 6 and August 7 near Lassen National Forest and Shasta-Trinity National Forest, both located in northern California. The three most recent fires, including the Ranch Fire, have started in the Dixie Fire area, according to the report.
Capts Cal Fire. Derek Leong, right, and Tristan Gale oversee a shooting operation, where teams started a fire on the ground to prevent a wildfire from spreading, while battling the Dixie Fire in the Lassen National Forest, Calif., Monday July 26, 2021 (Associated Press)
“The area in which Maynard has chosen to light his fires is close to the ongoing Dixie blaze, a blaze that is still not under control despite the deployment and efforts of more than 5,000 people,” wrote the Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Anderson in a note, according to FOX 40.
Anderson argued that Maynard should remain in custody pending further legal action.
Investigators followed Maynard by tracking his cell phone and car, according to court documents.
“The officers had a tracker installed on his vehicle,” Anderson wrote. “Where Maynard went, fires broke out. Not just once, but over and over again.”
Maynard was listed by Sonoma State as having been a professor of criminal justice studies but was no longer in college, the Sacramento Bee reported.
“He was a part-time lecturer in the Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice,” a Sonoma state spokesperson wrote to the Bee in an email. “He was working at Sonoma State University in the fall of 2020, but did not have an appointment for the spring of 2021.
“Mr. Maynard was hired to replace a faculty member who was on leave. He taught two seminars in criminology and criminal justice studies in the fall of 2020.”
The University of Santa Clara also confirmed that Maynard worked there, the Bee reported.
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“Gary Maynard was an adjunct faculty member in the sociology department at the University of Santa Clara from September 2019 to December 2020,” the university told the newspaper in an email.
Maynard could face up to five years in prison and a fine of $ 250,000 in connection with the ranch fire, the Bee reported.
The Dixie Fire, which began on July 13, is now the largest in California history. It burns in four counties – Butte, Plumas, Tehama and Lassen.
The Dixie fire was 25% contained on Tuesday morning, SFGate.com reported.
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