Antonio Ornelas-Velazquez (©Cal Fire Riverside)

Antonio Ornelas-Velazquez is a resident of California, United States. Here are 10 more things about him:

1. He lives in Desert Hot Springs, Riverside County, California. He has also lived in other parts of California including San Lorenzo and Castro Valley. (a) (b)
2. He previously lived in Lawton, Comanche County, Oklahoma, USA.  (b)
3. He is a garbage truck driver. (c)
4. He worked for CR&R Recycling in California. (d)
5. He is accused of igniting a deadly fire on Sandalwood Drive in Calimesa, Riverside County after dumping a burning load of trash next to dry vegetation on October 10, 2019. Before the blaze was stopped on October 14, 2019, it burned more than 1,000 acres, destroyed 72 structures, damaged 16 structures and killed two people namely Lois Arvikson, 89, and Hannah Labelle, 61. (b) (c) (d) (e)
6. On February 13, 2021, he was arrested in Desert Hot Springs by peace officers with the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. (c) (d) (e)
7. He was 38 years old when he was arrested on February 13, 2021. He was booked into the Larry D. Smith Correctional Facility in Banning, Riverside County. (d) (a)
8. On February 14, 2021, he was released after posting the $75,000 bail. (d)
9. For causing the Sandalwood fire in October 2019, he was charged with two counts of involuntary manslaughter, one count of setting fire to an inhabited dwelling, causing great bodily injury to multiple people, burning multiple structures and starting a fire during a state of emergency declared by the governor. (b) (a)
10. His first court appearance was tentatively set for June 15, 2021. (a)

SOURCES:

• a. Redlands Daily Facts
• b. Whitepages
• c. NBC News
• d. East Bay Times
• e. Desert Sun
• f. Patch