While the arrests of four suspects in connection to the Aug. 24 Main Fire supported widely rumored suspicions for many, a number of questions remain, even as some of the business owners impacted are already moving forward.
The L.A. County Sheriff’s Department Arson and Explosives Detail announced four arrests Thursday night of the individuals they say are responsible for an estimated $13 million in property damage, when the three-alarm structure fire burned much of the 24200 block of Main Street.
The LASD announced this week that John Wright, who owned the location where the fire reportedly started, Gary’s Auto Collision Center, was arrested in connection with the investigation into the Main Fire. Also taken into custody were: Jesus Figueroa, a 54-year-old Canyon Country man; Christian Leija, 43, of El Monte; and Antoinette Ruiz, a 35-year-old who was released Friday morning on grounds that there was insufficient evidence to sustain the charge.
All four were arrested on suspicion of arson and conspiracy charges, with Ruiz’s booking charge listed as criminal conspiracy.
The detail in charge of investigating the fire has indicated it will not release any more public information, through a source speaking on background.
The person said the department is aware of the “enormity” of the situation, and the team does not want any information to leak out that could “hinder our investigation.”
Wright and Figueroa were initially picked up by a surveillance team within the Major Crime Bureau; Figuueroa was initially booked at the San Dimas Station. Leija and Ruiz were arrested by SCV Sheriff’s Station deputies.
Court records indicate Leija and Ruiz have been in a relationship, based on a previous court record of a hearing on a restraining order that was requested between the couple and then later dropped over a declination to prosecute.
The LASD source also said the agency is aware of what’s at stake for the victims, who suffered millions in losses and are awaiting resolution for their claims. The department source would not reveal the relationship between the couple from El Monte, Wright and Figueroa.
There was no bail amount listed in Sheriff’s Department records for Figueroa and Leija. Wright had a listed bail amount of $500,000.
Custody records as of Friday afternoon indicate that all three men are likely to remain behind bars until a court hearing scheduled for Monday at the San Fernando Courthouse.
A spokeswoman for the L.A. County District Attorney’s Office said that, as of 1 p.m. Friday, a case had not yet been presented in connection to the arrests.
Recovery steps
In the meantime, the insurers of the property have kept tenants and property owners barred from the site. However, that policy hasn’t seemed to stop would-be looters, according to several of the fire’s victims.
They lamented this week how they’ve seen multiple items taken from the property in the weeks since they were allowed a brief walk-through right after the fire was extinguished, and then not let back on the property. A security guard sat watch over the wreckage on Friday.
Richard Stewart, who owned the property where Gary’s Auto was located, said there hadn’t been enough done to protect what’s left, which is why he had cameras installed around the property.
In terms of insurance claims, there have been multiple filings.
The city of Santa Clarita filed a claim as a tenant of the Main Theatre between the former home of El Trocadero and Care Tucker boutique, which both burned down.
And the insurers, according to most of the victims contacted, have so far left the victims waiting for answers, even Friday.
Christine Munoz and Ralph Gonzalez, co-owners of Newhall Refinery, said in a phone conversation Friday they were saddened to hear the news that the person identified as a suspect was a neighbor.
“It didn’t hurt just us, Care (Tucker) and The Main and our landlords and their landlord — they hurt our whole community. Everyone’s suffering right now,” Munoz said. She’s still awaiting word from the business’ insurer.
Both reflected on the talk of fewer people coming to Main Street lately, which is a problem for everyone. “We’ve also heard that a lot of people don’t want to face the rubble, yet,” Gonzalez said. “The fire hurt a lot of businesses that are still there, and right now, that’s kind of the hardest thing for us, is going to (community) meetings and hearing the struggle that businesses are having right now because of the fire.”
A small yellow flier posted on the wall of Stewart’s property Friday afternoon was evidence that the insurers are also still looking into the scene, with a note from a licensed private investigation firm: “This area and items have been identified as potential evidence into the cause of this fire,” the note read, and then, in red, “Before moving or disposing of any items, please contact Fire Origin and Cause Inc.”
