Clearlake man sentenced to state prison for setting June fire
- Lake County News reports
- Posted On
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – A Clearlake man has been sentenced to state prison for setting a June fire that occurred east of Clearlake Oaks.
On Monday, Judge J. David Markham sentenced Jose Feliciano Medina Jimenez, 27, to four years in state prison for felony violations of arson of forest land and resisting executive officers by means of threat or violence, said Chief Deputy District Attorney Richard Hinchcliff.
At the same time, Hinchcliff said Judge Markham ordered Jimenez to register as an arson offender for the rest of his life.
Sheriff’s deputies responded to the area of Mule Skinner Road and Highway 20 east of Clearlake Oaks on June 20 in response to a vegetation fire, as Lake County News has reported.
Sheriff’s Deputy Matthew McCabe arrived and contacted Jimenez standing in the middle of Highway 20 waving his arms, according to investigative reports by the Lake County Sheriff’s Office and Cal Fire.
When McCabe attempted to speak to Jimenez, Jimenez removed a large knife from his pocket. Jimenez ignored numerous commands to drop the knife and walked toward McCabe twice with the knife in his hand, the investigative reports said.
After about 10 minutes McCabe was able to get Jimenez to get rid of the knife and was able to handcuff Jimenez. When McCabe tried to place him in his patrol vehicle Jimenez began violently thrashing around, based on the reports.
Jimenez was placed in the vehicle with the assistance of other deputies arriving on the scene. One officer suffered a laceration to his knee, authorities reported.
While in the patrol vehicle, authorities said Jimenez attempted to kick the door open. When deputies opened the door Jimenez jumped out of the vehicle toward the deputies and violently resisted the deputies. The deputies were able to restrain Jimenez with a leg restraint and end his resistance and combativeness.
The reports said a Bic lighter was located in Jimenez’s pocket and he was determined to be under the influence of methamphetamine.
Deputy Antonio Castellanos and Cal Fire arson investigator Gary Uboldi interviewed Jimenez. The reports said Jimenez admitted starting the fire, claiming he became paranoid from the methamphetamine and believed people were spying on him and were going to hurt him.
Jimenez admitted to starting the fire in an effort to get the people to leave. He also admitted to starting the fire in an area with plywood and tires near a tree where it was dry and would be conducive to starting a fire, officials said.
Jimenez also admitted that at the time all of this occurred he had been working cultivating and tending marijuana plants on the property. The sheriff’s reports said deputies eradicated 352 marijuana plants from the property.
Cal Fire investigators Gary Uboldi and Brandon Bertolino conducted the origin and cause investigation for the fire, which fire officials said burned six acres and was quickly suppressed by Cal Fire using multiple engines and aircraft.
Cal Fire prevented the fire from possibly burning hundreds or thousands of acres and numerous structures due to the dry conditions and rural, brushy and steep terrain in the area, Hinchcliff said.
Hinchcliff said Jimenez’s prior criminal history included a conviction in 2017 for driving under the influence causing injury and two federal convictions in 2014 and 2018 for illegal entry into the United States.
Hinchcliff, who handles most of the fire-related prosecutions for Lake County including this case, charged Jimenez with arson, resisting officers and marijuana cultivation. Thomas Feimer was appointed as a public defender to represent Jimenez.
On Aug. 4, pursuant to a plea agreement negotiated with the District Attorney’s Office, Jimenez pleaded no contest to felony arson of forest land and felony resisting officers, with an agreed-upon potential sentence of up to four years state prison, Hinchcliff said.
At the Tuesday sentencing, in addition to sentencing Jimenez to four years in prison and ordering him to register as an arson offender, Hinchcliff said Judge Markham also ordered him to pay $1,200 in restitution.
Hinchcliff said restitution also was reserved for Cal Fire.