Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office Captain Greg Van Patten announced at a public update this evening that law enforcement has arrested 20-year-old Devin Johnson for arson. Law enforcement accuses him of purposefully starting the Hopkins Fire, the blaze that destroyed multiple homes and has forced hundreds to evacuate.
Captain Van Patten explained that shortly after the beginning of the fire at 2:00 p.m. on Sunday, September 12, a Cal Fire Mendocino Unit Prevention Officer began an immediate investigation. The next day, a fire investigator from the Ukiah Valley Fire Authority assisted in the investigation as well as a Prevention Officer from the Cal Fire Humboldt Del Norte Unit.
Today, September 14, Captain Van Patten said investigators developed surveillance footage from a nearby business to where the Hopkins Fire started on Sunday. This footage, Captain Van Patten explained, depicted an unidentified adult male as being “the person, the reason, the cause of the Hopkins Fire”.
Soon after, these fire investigators began canvassing the area for further clues, hints, and evidence. At 10:50 a.m., one of the fire investigators saw this unidentified male “just a matter of a few hundred yards from where we stand today.”
As per Captain Van Patten, investigators determined the unidentified to be Devin Johnson who is on active felony probation for an attempted robbery charge. As a result of the follow-up investigations, Mr. Johnson has been arrested and booked in the Mendocino County Jail. Johnson stands accused of aggravated arson of multiple structures, arson of an inhabited structure, and arson during a state of emergency. He is currently being held on a no-bail status.
Also, with due respect to the potential victim of the circumstances described, it must be stated that the charges contained in the booking log have not been proven in a court of law. In accordance with the legal principle of the presumption of innocence, any individual described should be presumed innocent until proven guilty.
The following press release from the Cal Fire Mendocino Unit provides an overview of their investigation into the cause of the Hopkins Fire and the successful identification of the suspect:
On Tuesday, September 14, 2021, the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE) Mendocino Unit investigators arrested an individual for arson (PC 451(c)). This individual is suspected to be responsible for starting the Hopkins Fire on Sunday, September 12, 2021, which burned numerous structures, threatened hundreds of lives, including response personnel, burned 257 acres, and damaged utilities and critical infrastructure.
A CAL FIRE officer with the assistance of the Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office, Ukiah Valley Fire Department and the Mendocino County Districts Attorney’s Office arrested the suspect today. The suspect was taken into custody and transported to the Mendocino County Jail.
“I am very proud of our law enforcement officer, the Mendocino County Sheriff’s Department and the District Attorney’s Office for working together on this case,” said CAL FIRE MEU Unit Chief George Gonzalez. “Our communities are much safer after this arrest.”
As fire danger remains high across California, wildfires pose a major threat to life, property, and our state’s natural resources. CAL FIRE urges the public to be vigilant in their preparedness and be aware of suspicious activity when a fire does start. If you witness suspicious activity, the following steps should be followed:
- Do not approach the individual or individuals engaging in the suspicious behavior, if safe to do so, note the description of the individual(s) including, location, gender, height, weight, clothing description, hair color and any other distinguishing characteristics such as tattoos. If a vehicle is involved in the suspicious activity, the following information can be helpful to investigator
The California Arson Hotline: 1-800-468-4408 The hotline takes anonymous reports of arson and offers rewards to those who provide information about a suspected arsonist. California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection Penal Code 451 PC – California Arson Laws http://www.shouselaw.com/arson.html.
Previous Coverage
- Evacuation Orders Remain the Same on the Hopkins Fire This Morning
- 200 Structures Threatened But Hopkins Fire Now 20% Contained After Burning 257 Acres and Destroying a Number of Homes
- Hopkins Fire Burns Multiple Structures in Calpella North of Ukiah (Interview With Battalion Chief)
- Mandatory Evacuations as Fire Burns in Riverbed near Calpella’s Hopkins Street
- Scenes of Horrific Devastation Coming From Mendocino County as Hopkins Fire Roars Through Calpella
- Parts of Lake Mendocino Burned as the Hopkins Fire Spread Eastward
Why did he do this is the question I’m sure on most of our minds
A big tall tree and a short piece of rope. Then maybe people will think twice before destroying people’s lives. But it’s California. He’ll be back on the street in a few months.
Bradley, what is your misinformation based on?? Fox news?
Please deal with the facts.
Found these 2 local examples in about 2mins of searching:
https://mendofever.com/2021/04/27/covelo-man-will-serve-8-months-in-state-prison-for-2019-arson-of-an-inhabited-dwelling/
https://www.ukiahdailyjournal.com/2021/09/06/mendocino-county-arsonists-sent-to-state-prison/
I agree. I don’t think that you have made your opinion based on the kids race like the other commenters think you did.
There’s plenty of evidence, i.e. facts supported by actual data, that arsonists are getting tossed in prison.
Search this site alone and you will find several examples just from this year in Mendo.
Unfounded politicized rhetoric may be typical but it is FALSE.
Absolutely. Send a message. Hang em.
Because he’s a black kid, you’re suggesting a lynching?
I think he suggested it because of the fire that he started.
Huh? I never noticed his skin color. And it’s racist to have mentioned it.
@mendofever please address the comments section on this article. The above comment is completely unacceptable and extremely racist. Please do not be a platform that allows for such horrific suggestions to be made.
Not racist at all.
Oh get over your woke BS. You started the issue. I have suggested hanging all arsonists. Who cares what race. Just you it seems.
You’re the person who brought up race. Who noticed but you. So very woke.
Why is he smirking, smiling? What makes people have such bizarre behavior? He is so young to be so twisted. A travesty for so many people’s lives. May justice be served.
This mug shot is from last year, june. He was arrested for attempted murder.
Not quite:
Previously arrested:
6/28/20 MCSO
Assault w firearm on person
Attempted Robbery
6/27/20 Rohnert Park PD
Attempt To Operate Vehicle W/O Owner’s Consent
”A big tall tree and a short rope”. THAT’S racist. Surprised you missed that m.f. First comment.
What’s racist about it? My families and two other friends homes were destroyed because of an idiot that gets never ending sympathy from ignorant people like you. It’s not about race. Wake the eff up.
I’m certain that if the suspect was white, and the neighborhood that was set on fire was predominantly resided in by people of color, the entire focus of the comments section would be on the defendants race. Instead, and rightly so, all efforts are being made to discourage any talk of violence, simply because of the defendants race. I’m also quite certain that if this was a white kid accused of burning up an entire neighborhood, you wouldn’t see anyone defending him, anywhere. “Hold on now, did you just imply we should hang this young white man, how atrocious, call the admin!” Makes you wonder how all these privileges are decided upon and issued.
All arsonists deserve a rope. People who defend an arsonist based on race are racist, and deserve a solid kick in the butt.
But this is not how our system works. Legitimate justice is not metered by fools on the internet, but rather by careful deliberation by Judges and Juries.
However, public criticism of such behavior is absolutely appropriate. Don’t do things that suck. Such as burning random people’s houses down or treating people differently based on race. Even if it is trendy liberal arson or trendy liberal racism. Yes, it indeed still sucks.
Beautiful.
Care less of the color of his hide, if he did the crime, he should do the time with complete payback on the damages he caused, an left in prison, until its paid back! Poor baby had a bad childhood? We can find help for you.
An entire column. of very sad, pathetic comments. Done with mendofever.
No one is forcing you to read the comments, nor do they reflect the views of the management, so why extend your distaste to them? 🤷🏻♂️