A Los Molinos woman pleaded no contest this week to a felony charge accusing her of sparking a 1,200-acre wildfire that threatened Lewiston this summer.
Brenda Eitzen, who was 60 at the time of her arrest, is set to be sentenced Nov. 30 at the Trinity County Superior Court.
She is still being held at the Trinity County Jail and could serve up to year total, said Michael Harper, Trinity County District Attorney.
She had faced a second felony and two misdemeanors for recklessly starting a fire, but those charges have been dismissed, said a Trinity County Superior Court official.
Eitzen was arrested shortly after the start of the Coffin Fire on Aug. 15 and has been held at the Trinity County Jail since.
Following an investigation by the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection and before the flames were out, the Trinity County District Attorney’s Office charged Eitzen with two felonies and two misdemeanors for recklessly starting the fire.
Witnesses said they saw Eitzen toss a lit cigarette while meandering down Lewiston Road, igniting the fire. Pushed by gusty winds, the fire quickly grew to 1,000 acres and forced evacuations.
Cal Fire crews declared the fire contained three days later after an onslaught of air tanker retardant drops helped corral the flames.
Source: Redding.com article link
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