LAKEPORT, Calif. – The Clearlake man who authorities say set last month's Clayton fire and numerous other fires going back to July 2015 was in court on Wednesday to enter a plea, with four more charges added to his case.
Damin Anthony Pashilk, 40, entered a not guilty plea to all of the 23 charges – and three special allegations – against him, according to Chief Deputy District Attorney Richard Hinchcliff, who is handling the case.
The Clayton fire began Aug. 13 near Lower Lake, burning a total of 3,929 acres. It was fully contained on Aug. 26.
Cal Fire's estimated suppression costs to date total approximately $18,580,412, according to Suzie Blankenship, a Cal Fire fire prevention specialist.
Blankenship cautioned that the number could change as Cal Fire continues to compile information.
Lake County Board of Supervisors Chair Rob Brown said the county's latest Clayton fire damage assessment has recorded 203 homes destroyed. He said the county doesn't yet have a full dollar valuation on the destruction the fire caused.
Cal Fire's damage assessments said an additional 100 structures burned, including eight commercial structures, as well as sheds and outbuildings.
The fire also damaged facilities at Konocti Unified School District and delayed the start of the new school year by over a week, according to Superintendent Donna Becnel.
Pashilk was arrested on Aug. 15. Originally, the District Attorney's Office charged Pashilk with 19 counts, including 15 for felony arson with special allegations of causing multiple structures to burn and committing a crime in a disaster area.
However, Hinchcliff told Lake County News that he has filed an amended complaint that adds four more arson counts to Pashilk's case.
Hinchcliff said that since the original filing, Cal Fire has submitted information on those additional incidents.
The four additional charges are for fires that authorities say Pashilk set on Aug. 8, 2015, in Clearlake Oaks and this past July – July 26, 27 and 29 – in Clearlake.
Altogether, Pashilk is accused of setting 16 fires plus making an attempt to set another that self-extinguished on Aug. 9 along Clayton Creek Road, where authorities say he returned four days later to set the Clayton fire, according to case records.
In that Aug. 9 attempt, Cal Fire investigators located a burned matchbook and a small area of burned grass.
Cal Fire investigators used video surveillance, GPS tracking devices and surveillance officers to connect Pashilk to the scenes of the 16 fires and one unsuccessful start from July 2015 through early last month, according to the case files.
When Pashilk was interviewed on Aug. 15, “he could not provide an explanation to being at the ignition sites of the fires,” the documents stated.
The amended filing against Pashilk charges him with the following fires, in chronological order, with each incident's corresponding count in the criminal filing:
• July 2, 2015, 7:32 a.m.: Highway 20 at Judge Davis Trail (“Judge” fire No. 1), Clearlake Oaks (Count IV).
• July 2, 2015, 7:50 a.m.: Highway 20 at Walker Ridge Road (“Judge” fire No. 2), Clearlake Oaks (Count V).
• July 29, 2015, 8:30 p.m.: Highway 20 east of New Long Valley Road (the “Long” fire), Clearlake Oaks (Count VI).
• Aug. 8, 2015, 2:27 p.m.: High Valley Road and Cerrito Road, Clearlake Oaks (Count VII).
• Aug. 13, 2015, 11 a.m. : Woodland Drive, Clearlake (Count VIII).
• Aug. 14, 2015, 8:18 p.m.: Sulphur Bank Road, south of North Drive, Clearlake (Count IX).
• Aug. 25, 2015, 3:47 p.m.: East Lake Drive, Clearlake (Count X).
• July 17, 2016, 5:08 p.m.: Crestview Drive and North Drive, Clearlake (Count XI).
• July 21, 2016, 5:08 p.m.: 18000 block of Morgan Valley Road near Staehle Lane, Lower Lake (Count XII).
• July 23, 2016, 7:03 p.m.: Western Mine Road, Middletown (Count XIII).
• July 26, 2016, 6:48 p.m.: Sulphur Bank Road, north of North Drive, Clearlake (Count XIV).
• July 27, 2016, 7:23 p.m.: Lakeshore Drive and San Joaquin Drive, Clearlake (Count XV).
• July 29, 2016, 2:47 p.m.: Ogulin Canyon Road, east of Highway 53, Clearlake (Count XVI).
• Aug. 7, 2016 (start time not listed): Highway 29 near mile post marker 16.29, Lower Lake (Count XVII).
• Aug. 9, 2016, 5 p.m.: Seigler Canyon Road, Lower Lake (Count XVIII).
• Aug. 9, 2016, 5:25 p.m.: Clayton Creek Road, Lower Lake (Count XIX).
• Aug. 13, 2016, 5:01 p.m.: Clayton fire, Clayton Creek Road, Lower Lake (Counts I, II and III)
Special allegations include causing multiple structures to burn in the Clayton fire, and setting the Clayton fire and another fire on Highway 29 near Lower Lake this past Aug. 7, because both of those fire were in an area Gov. Jerry Brown has declared to be in a state of emergency.
In addition to the arson counts, Pashilk is charged with misdemeanors including methamphetamine possession at the time of his arrest, attempting to conceal the evidence of the methamphetamine, and two counts of driving on a suspended license with three prior convictions for that charge.
Pashilk remains in the Lake County Jail on an enhanced $5 million bail, according to jail records.
Hinchcliff said Pashilk will return to court for further proceedings on Oct. 25, at which time his preliminary hearing date may be set.
On Wednesday, Hinchcliff said there were no new details of the case that he could discuss outside of the additional counts.
He said he and his staff are now moving ahead on the extensive followup investigation that's part of building the case against Pashilk.
“There's a lot to do,” Hinchcliff said.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
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