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– Midweek Edition – VOLUME 174 • ISSUE 11 | $1.00
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WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2025
Arsonist guilty for starting Crozier Fire Odin Rasco
County in early August. Started in a remote area littered with heavy timber and other fire fuels and inaccessible by normal means, the small vegetation fire quickly consumed hundreds of acres in hours. Hot, dry conditions added fuel to the fire, which grew seven times its size overnight. At the height of the evacuation orders, more than 3,000 people were evacuated from their homes with more than 5,000 under warning; around 200 animals were also moved to temporary shelter, according to El Dorado County Sheriff ’s Office Lt. Troy Morton. Containment reached 100% two weeks after
Senior staff writer
The trial for a Placerville man accused of starting the 2024 Crozier Fire concluded Thursday, Jan. 30, when the jury returned from deliberations with two guilty verdicts. Jason Robinette, 48, is scheduled to be sentenced for two felony arson charges in El Dorado County Superior Court’s Department 1 on March 14 at 1:30 p.m. The Crozier Fire burned close to 2,000 acres of wilderness near Slate Mountain in El Dorado
AT THE CPCSD
the fire was first started, according to incident information from Cal Fire. Cooler temperatures and higher humidity helped the firefighting efforts, which pulled in more than 1,300 personnel from across the state. Though the fire consumed 1,960 acres before it was contained, no structures were destroyed and no injuries were reported. About a month after the fire, an investigation into the fire led to law enforcement personnel from Cal Fire issuing a warrant for Robinette’s arrest. Robinette was apprehended by EDSO personnel near the In-N-Out on Forni Road in Placerville on Sept. 16.
bringing home the belt
Board supports a leadership change Noel Stack Editor
The Cameron Park Community Services District has a new, interim general manager less than a week after exercising the 30-day terminationwithout-cause clause in now former General Manager Alan Gardner’s contract. Directors voted 4-0 to hire former El Dorado Hills Fire Chief Maurice Johnson. His first day on the job is Feb. 5. “Mr. Johnson comes to us with an impressive work history, a great attitude and goals that are in alignment with the board’s desire to return Cameron Park CSD to an organization that meets the expectations of the community for great fire service, recreation programs, parks and facilities, fiscal responsibility, transparency, etc.,” said CPCSD board President Dawn Wolfson. Directors Monique Scobey, Tim Israel and Katie Gilchrest joined Wolfson in support of
MAURICE JOHNSON hiring Johnson. Director Sidney Bazett was absent from the Feb. 3 special meeting. “I am humbled and honored to step in as interim general manager of the Cameron Park Community Services District,” Johnson told the Mountain Democrat
Mountain Democrat photo by Shelly Thorene
The El Dorado High Cougars wrestling team celebrates after winning the 2024-25 SVC League title over Union Mine with a 54-30 win on Jan. 29. Both teams entered the match with identical 6-0 records and went on to compete in the CIF Division 4 Dual Meet tournament at Lincoln High school in Stockton last Saturday. Read more about the local wrestlers on page A8.
■ See NEW GM, page A5
County Veterans Monument honor criteria still up for debate Jo Carrerow
Mountain Democrat correspondent
MAIL LABEL
Mountain Democrat photo by Shelly Thorene
Discussions about who can be honored and how at the El Dorado County Veterans Monument in Placerville will continue into the spring.
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After another round of veterans’ comments on criteria for honors at the El Dorado County Veterans Monument, it’s back to the drawing board for two more months. Leaders of veterans’ organizations who attended the El Dorado County Health and Human Resources Agency – Veteran Services Office meeting in the El Dorado County Board of Supervisors chambers on Jan. 30 had differing opinions about criteria for the Veterans Monument. But, most agreed they want decisions about the monument to be more in the hands of veterans. “We’ve got folks in here that can really solve this problem. It shouldn’t have gotten to your level yet,” said Mac Adams, vice chair of the Military Family Support Group. “I think the Veterans Affairs commissioners should be more involved.”
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The meeting, presented by Deputy Director of Community Services Lynette Engelhardt Stott, Assistant Director of Human Services Timalynn Jaynes and Veteran Services Officer Jon Brown, was held in response to objections to the draft criteria presented earlier last month at a Board of Supervisors meeting. The goal of last week’s meeting was to gather a wish list for monument criteria from veterans. Now the agency staff will compile both the veterans’ comments and survey information. From those, multiple drafts will be created and presented at a Veterans Affairs Commission meeting on March 13. From there, commissioners plan to make their recommendation at the Board of Supervisors meeting on April 8. Some veterans were in favor of adopting the current draft criteria, including Seth Culver, commander of
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