Arson suspect in Line Fire faces 9 charges related to injured firefighter, $7 million in damages

A Southern California man arrested on suspicion of starting the massive Line Fire in San Bernardino County is facing nine charges — including counts related to millions of dollars in damages and an injury to a firefighter, prosecutors announced Thursday.

Justin Wayne Halstenberg, a 34-year-old resident of the city of Norco in Riverside County, was arrested Tuesday following an investigation that law enforcement officials say started on Sept. 6. Upon serving a search warrant, detectives discovered evidence in his home and vehicle linking him to the alleged arson, according to the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department.   

"While we're still in the thrust of the preliminary investigation, we believe this was intentional," San Bernardino County Sheriff Shannon Dicus said Wednesday.

Investigators believe the suspect is also responsible for starting two other smaller fires in the area.

On Thursday, San Bernardino County District Attorney Jason Anderson said Halstenberg is currently facing nine charges. But that could change, Anderson said, depending on monetary damages and even potential injuries and fatalities that could result from the wildfire.

"The first charge, obviously, is an arson charge that is in regards to a particular amount — over $7 million," Anderson told reporters. "That's significant because, at last calculation, Cal Fire had the damages so far at about $14.5 million... that have occurred at the Line Fire."

The prosecutor said the second criminal count facing Halstenberg is great bodily injury to a firefighter since at least one of the first responders have been wounded in the growing blaze. 

"That's something that we contemplate," Anderson said. "Unfortunately, (what) we've seen in the past is fires in this region continue to be a scourge — that we've had firefighters die. In this instance, we have not had that happen, thankfully."

"But, at least in one instance, we've had a firefighter suffer great bodily injury," he said.

According to Anderson, one of the other seven counts was filed in connection with a home that was destroyed in the Runnings Springs community of the San Bernardino Mountains. Meanwhile, cameras and reports from witnesses have led investigators to link Halstenberg to two other blazes — neither of which are one of the other two massive wildfires currently burning in other parts of Southern California.

Halstenberg's vehicle was allegedly seen at the site of the other two smaller fires.

Authorities have not said what the suspected motive could be. But Anderson said Wednesday that "incendiary devices" were found at the sites where all three, including the Line Fire, started.

"Arson is just one of those crimes that is, to me, unbelievably despicable because it's a head-scratcher," he said. "There's no value to be had out of arson. You light a match, you start a fire. There's nothing to be gained unless there's some unbelievable particular fetish about watching other people's homes burn down or people get injured."

He also said the communities affected by the devastating Line Fire have dealt with other destructive wildfires in the recent past, including the El Dorado Fire in 2020. "I can assure the public we're going to go hard on this case," he said.

The Line Fire has sent thousands of people fleeing from their homes as they escaped the flames this past week. It tore across more than 37,000 acres, as of Thursday, while firefighters worked tirelessly to stop its spread. 

"My world just stopped and everything got small," said Brooke Palenchar, a resident of Running Springs who lost her home in the blaze. "To see my chimney standing there and the edge of our deck... It's insane."

It's one of three massive fires tearing through the region in recent days, including the Airport Fire and Bridge Fire in neighboring counties of Southern California. Altogether, they burned more than 100,000 acres — or about 156 square miles — in less than a week.

Dicus said investigators believe it's possible Halstenberg could be linked to other cases of alleged arson.

"It's my belief that as time goes on, and we allow them to do the critical work that they're doing, that we will actually find out this suspect may have been responsible for other fires," Dicus said. 

Earlier this week, authorities said he was being held in lieu of $80,000 bail. He is expected to be arraigned Friday.