Prosecutors lay out the case against alleged Dolan Fire arsonist Ivan Gomez.

Criminal investigators have now concluded that the devastating Dolan Fire in Big Sur was “probably” ignited by Ivan Geronimo Gomez, a 31-year-old arrested near the blaze’s point of origin on Highway 1 half an hour after it was first reported. 

Gomez appeared in Monterey County Superior Court for a preliminary hearing on Oct. 29, in which he pleaded not guilty to arson charges and other counts against him. After hearing from witnesses, the judge ruled that the evidence was sufficient for the criminal proceedings against Gomez to move forward.

With testimony from four law enforcement officers, Deputy District Attorney Meredith Sillman connected the dots between a major illegal cannabis operation on federal forest land near Dolan Ridge; the ignition of the Dolan Fire; the apprehension of Gomez after he allegedly lobbed rocks at cars and the 125,000-acre blaze, which has resulted in the injuries of several firefighters; the destruction of 20 structures; the presumed death of nine California condors; and a minimum of $62 million in firefighting costs. 

The illegal cannabis grow was known at the Monterey County Sheriff’s Office since 2019 and is one of “many” such grows that have been identified in Big Sur. These grows involve the cultivation of thousands of plants on public lands, the siphoning of water from natural springs, and the despoiling of the environment. Millions of dollars are at stake, and Mexican cannabis cartels are known to operate on forestland in California. 

The first officer to testify was California Parks Supervisor Matthew Khalar, who apprehended Gomez near Lime Creek Bridge at about 8:30pm on Aug. 18. He was in the area because a fire had been reported on the nearby ridge line. A fellow ranger informed him of a man throwing rocks at passing vehicles on Highway 1. A Big Sur Fire Bridge volunteer’s vehicle had been hit while driving to meet their fire crew. 

Khalar said he spotted a shirtless man wearing cargo shorts and hiking boots. He was sweating profusely, Khalar said in court: “His body was glistening, it was shining in the light.” 

At first, the man, who turned out to be Gomez, ignored Khalar’s orders. Eventually, Gomez did comply and he was detained. Khalar found a screwdriver, three lighters, and a crumpled elastic bandage in Gomez's pockets. Gomez admitted to starting the fire and made other statements incriminating himself, according to Khalar. 

On cross-examination, Deputy Public Defender Mike Belter asked about the language of his exchange with Gomez and whether Khalar spoke Spanish. Khalar said they spoke a mix of the two and that he doesn’t know Spanish aside from a few words like mota, which means cannabis. “I understood that just fine,” Khalar said.

The next witness was Det. Michael Smith of Monterey County Sheriff’s Office, who answered questions about what happened when he arrived on the scene upon a request for assistance from Khalar. Smith is a homicide detective and he was dispatched because Gomez had confusedly referred to the killing of people on Dolan Ridge. 

Smith said Gomez told him through a Spanish interpreter that he had lighted some dry grass with a lighter. The reasons Gomez gave were muddled with bizarre statements. 

“He gave some answers that made sense and some that didn’t,” Smith said. 

For example, Gomez, reportedly said he lit the fire to create smoke to chase away spiders and that he had a friend who is a monkey. 

Gomez also allegedly discussed with Smith killing five people who worked the cannabis grow. Rangers and detectives with K9 units have spent days combing through the area and have so far found no human remains. 

Before questioning, a forensic unit swabbed Gomez for gunshot residue and other substances, collected scrapings from under his fingernails and took his clothing, Smith said. 

Smith also relayed how several firefighters were badly injured while battling the blaze.

The third witness to testify in the preliminary hearing Thursday was Det. Sgt. Bryan Hoskins of the Monterey County Sheriff's Office. He outlined the impact of the fire based on reports from the U.S. Forest Service and described the cannabis grow where he spent three days camping as part of his investigation. As of Oct. 19, he said, the Forest Service estimated the cost of fighting the Dolan Fire at just under $63 million. The figure is preliminary and does not include the expenses incurred by other firefighting agencies. Hoskins said that 20 buildings were destroyed in the blaze, 14 of which were residences. 

Hoskins and his team reached the grow with a helicopter. He said it spanned a hillside with 1,500 feet separating a lower camp from an upper camp. Hiking in would take about two hours from Highway 1, he said, but only 20 minutes from Coast Ridge Road via a dirt path through the backcountry.  

A natural spring had been dammed using mud, plastic and fallen trees, presumably in order to water the hundreds of cannabis plants in the vicinity. A dump area with food packaging and 30-40 empty propane tanks was found. Whoever worked the grow slept in tents or under tarps. 

From the U.S. Forest Service, the prosecution called Special Agent Jeremiah Laudenslager. He was the chief investigator assigned to determine the cause of the blaze. He finished his work on Sept. 30, about six weeks after the fire began, and concluded that the cause was “probably” an incendiary device, based on the pattern of the burning as well as the statements by Gomez. 

On cross-examination, Gomez’s attorney, Belter, teased out from Laudenslager that remnants of a campfire were also located within the origin zone. 

After testimony concluded, Bleter argued that the timing did not likely allow for Gomez to have started the fire and hiked down to Highway 1 where he was arrested. Belter said the prosecution’s case rests primarily on statements made by Gomez when Gomez was possibly not fully in possession of his faculties. 

Judge Pamela Butler sided with the prosecution in determining there is sufficient evidence to proceed. The next court date is set for Dec. 16.