By G.T. Houts
UPDATE 1, Monday August 7, 12:34 p.m.
Jarrod Samara made his first court appearance Monday August 7, 2017. He was charged with 8 counts of arson and 1 count of Great Bodily Harm, relating to the firefighter that broke his leg fighting the Bridge Fire. He could face up to 18 years in prison.
The other seven fires Samra is being charged with setting began between July 7 and July 28 in Yucaipa, Highland, San Bernardino and Devore. Three were spot fires; the largest, Bridge 2 fire, burned 460 acres.
Original Story
Highland, CA – There has been an ongoing investigation in reference to several fires in the Inland Empire. During the investigation, a white GMC truck bearing California license number 63919E2, was seen on several Automated License Plate Readers surveillance cameras. On Thursday August 4, 2017 a fire was started in the city of Yucaipa and the above vehicle was stopped in the area. The driver, suspect Jarrod Anthony Samra age 23 years old, of Yucaipa,was detained and brought to the Highland Station for an interview. Under Miranda, Samra admitted to starting six of the fires, including the Yucaipa fire. During the suppression of the fire by fire personnel, a fireman sustained a fractured femur.
Samra was booked into the Central Detention Center. On Friday, August 4, he was booked and bail was set at $250,000.
The next court appearance date is not known at this time.