TAYLORSVILLE, Calif. — The California Highway Patrol arrested a man who allegedly set fires around his home and sprayed firefighters with a garden hose when they tried to put out the flames.
CHP-Quincy identified the man as David Leland Hyde. His home along the 2400 block of Genesee Road was one of many under evacuation orders due to the Dixie Fire.
Authorities became aware of Hyde after a fire division chief said he was causing a disturbance.
CHP said Hyde was reportedly starting fires at his home and interfering with firefighters who were trying to put them out. Officers responded just before 5:30 a.m. and contacted Hyde while he was tending to two burn piles with a garden hose.
According to CHP, Hyde was told about the mandatory evacuations three times before at that point. Hyde allegedly tried to prevent firefighters from accessing a wooded portion of the property where the fire was by stepping into the path of hose spray and even spraying firefighters with his garden hose, CHP said.
Hyde was arrested for 409.5(c) PC - entering or remaining within a mandatory evacuation zone, but officers still helped Hyde secure his home before taking him to the Plumas County Jail where he was booked without further incident.
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