Father And Son Charged With Starting Caldor Fire Are Released On Lower Bail
A father and son charged with sparking a devastating Northern California wildfire that destroyed about 1,000 homes and other buildings near Lake Tahoe this year are out of jail after a judge vastly reduced their bail, largely rejecting prosecutors’ arguments that the duo posed a flight risk. Travis Shane Smith, 32, had his $1-million bail reduced to $50,000, and his father, David Scott Smith, 66, had his $1-million bail reduced to $25,000 on Monday after their attorneys argued the men had no criminal history and no reason to leave behind their families, the Sacramento Bee reported. The Smiths were arrested Wednesday and charged in El Dorado County with recklessly starting a fire and illegal possession of a silencer. Travis Smith is also charged with illegal conversion or manufacture of a machine gun. Travis Smith’s attorney, Mark Reichel, told the Associated Press on Tuesday that prosecutors have not laid out their theory as to how the men started the Aug. 14 Caldor fire, which destroyed about 1,000 homes and other buildings, injured five people and forced tens of thousands of others to flee their homes.