D.A. sends back case against Newhall fire suspects for ‘further investigation’
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Four people who were arrested on suspicion of being responsible for a massive fire in Newhall’s Old Town that destroyed several businesses have been released without charges pending further investigation.
The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department over the weekend announced investigators had arrested four people on suspicion of arson and conspiracy in connection with the Aug. 24 blaze.
But on Monday, the Los Angeles County district attorney’s office kicked the case back to department investigators because it was “not ready for a final decision. Instead, they are sending it back to law enforcement to gather more evidence, answer lingering questions or clear up missing details,” a district attorney’s spokesperson said.
The Old Town fire occurred early in the morning and involved seven structures, causing about $13 million in damage. It destroyed a boutique, a gastropub and a theater in the heart of the Santa Clarita community.
The Los Angeles County Fire Department previously told The Times the fire began inside an auto-body shop and spread to an adjacent building containing several businesses.
The Sheriff’s Department said in a statement Tuesday afternoon that it works closely with the district attorney’s office “throughout the investigative and judicial processes and respects its role in reviewing cases for filing consideration.”
“The Department remains committed to a thorough investigation and to working toward accountability and justice for the victims, businesses, and others impacted by the Newhall Fire,” the department said.
![Olive ridley sea turtle hatchlings have been released to the wild after eggs were successfully hatched at the non-profit Aquarium of the Pacific. In an unprecedented event, two olive ridley sea turtle nests were discovered in mid-September in Seal Beach and Huntington Beach, California. The discovery represents the first-ever confirmed instance of natural sea turtle nesting on the U.S. West Coast. The eggs were then relocated to the Aquarium for protection due to a tropical storm. The Aquarium was selected to care for the sea turtle eggs due to its expertise and resources for animal care. Photo Information: This imagery was captured at a safe distance using red or infrared lighting, or no lighting during, a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service coordinated activity where sea turtles were not harmed. Sea turtles are protected and should not be disturbed or harassed. [If you see a stranded sea turtle, notify a local lifeguard or call NOAA's sea turtle stranding hotline at 562-506-4315.]](https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/20a9dc1/2147483647/strip/true/crop/2908x1945+4+0/resize/1024x685!/format/webp/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F49%2Fc6%2F874c95194b14952c3259f26719c5%2Fme-olive-ridley-sea-turtle-hatchlings-released-03.JPG)
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