Authorities arrested Jason Alexander Hobby, 49, of Loveland, Colo. yesterday as a suspect in the Alexander Mountain Fire which began July 29 west of Loveland and burned 9,668 acres.
Hobby has been charged with first degree arson, two counts of impersonation of a police officer, menacing, false imprisonment, and impersonating a public official. He is being held in the Larimer County Jail on a $250,000 bond.
In a press briefing held along Rockridge Lane and U.S. Highway 34 in rural Larimer County near the incident command post at the Sylvan Dale Guest Ranch, Sheriff John Feyen said dozens of homes were destroyed and the community was scarred “both figuratively and literally.”
Feyen said it was “just good old-fashioned gum shoe police work” that led authorities to Hobby’s arrest. The suspect had been an employee of the guest ranch until recently. He had represented himself as both a law enforcement and a fire official without any credentialing or training. “We learned that on several occasions Hobby stopped travelers in the area in a Chevrolet SUV that was made to look like a law enforcement vehicle. He called people out on traffic stops and pointed weapons at them, falsely claiming that they were trespassing and gained their information,” said Feyen.
“Hobby also owns and operated a modified Ford vehicle that he modified to look like a fire response vehicle. He bypassed road closures to access restricted areas during the course of the Alexander Mountain Fire and represented himself as a wildland firefighter based on the evidence collected,” said Feyen. The Ford vehicle was marked with signage from “Twin Buttes Fire Protection” out of Wyoming, but Feyen said investigators have found no information that such an organization exists.
According to Feyen, investigators are concerned that hobby may have falsely stopped others and anyone with information or additional details is asked to contact the Larimer County Sherrif’s Office.
Feyen praised the U.S. Forest Service and other responding area partners who worked on over the course of nine days to stop the fire, and he gave a special shout out to the Loveland Fire Rescue Authority “who was with us from day one in helping us stop this fire,” and also to the staff of the Sylvan Dale Ranch “who provided us a place to attack the fire and set up our initial command.” More than 530 local, state, and federal personnel were assigned to this incident “In closing, I have to say we have an amazing community here,” said Feyen.
Adam Bianchi, the acting deputy forest supervisor with the U.S. Forest Service said the federal investigation is continuing and the U.S. Forest Service is working with the Larimer County Sheriff on the investigation.
Investigators began by looking at the point of origin for the fire and traced it to a fire ring on top of Alexander Mountain. Feyen indicated that Hobby was still employed at the guest ranch during the fire but was released from his employment there during the investigation.
Hobby was originally from California and Feyen said he had an arrest record there.
Anyone with information is asked to contact certified arson investigator Justin Atwood with the Larimer County Sheriff’s Office at 970-498-5143. People who want to remain anonymous may also contact Crime Stoppers of Larimer County at 970-221-6868 or www.stopcriminals.org.
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