Steven Taylor Rutherford, 47, of Banning, who pleaded not guilty Wednesday July 3 to 13 felony counts of arson in connection with multiple blazes, including the June 28 Mill Fire, is accused of multiple fire starts in and near the San Gorgonio Pass since September 2011.
Rutherford is accused of starting two fires on the same day on three different occasions, including last Friday, when a fire scorched five ares in the mountains south of Banning before the Mill Fire broke out in Mentone and raced through Yucaipa neighborhoods.
Cal Fire investigators connected Rutherford to the alleged fire starts with law enforcement and commercial business surveillance cameras, and "lawfully placed GPS trackers on his vehicles," prosecutors said.
Prosecutors said Rutherford is charged with intentionally setting the following arson fires in and near the San Gorgonio Pass:
- Sept. 6, 2011: Twin Fire near Highway 243 and Twin Pines Road, which burned about 5 acres.
- Sept. 7, 2011: Banning Fire near Old Banning/Idyllwild Road, west of Highway 243, about 55 acres burned.
- Sept. 11, 2011: Summit Fire near Highway 74 and Mile Marker 55, about two acres burned.
- Sept. 11, 2011: Lambs Fire near Gilman Springs Road, east of Sanderson, about 35 acres burned.
- Oct. 22, 2011: Water Fire in Whitewater Canyon north of Interstate 10, about 20 acres burned.
- Oct. 22, 2011: Free Fire near Mt. Edna Road west of Highway 243, about 10 acres burned.
- Sept. 9, 2012: Edna Fire near Highway 243, south of Wesley Street, about four acres burned.
- June 28, 2013: Smith Fire near Highway 243 south of Banning, about five acres burned.
- June 28, 2013: Mill Fire, which started next to Highway 38 at Newport Road in Mentone, about 534 acres burned, four properties damaged, including two homes.
Total area burned in the nine fires was around 670 acres, prosecutors said.
Rutherford faces enhancements including use of a delayed ignition device and a prior arson conviction from 1989, said Riverside County District Attorney Paul Zellerbach.
If he's convicted as charged, Rutherford faces 80 years and four months in prison, according to prosecutors.
Zellerbach announced the charges at a news conference Wednesday with San Bernardino County District Attorney Mike Ramos, Cal Fire Southern Region Chief Dale Hutchinson, Cal Fire/Riverside County Fire Chief John Hawkins, and Deputy District Attorney Amy Zeta.
Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.