County May Seek Millions in Damages
A state appeals court upheld a civil jury’s finding that Leonard Ross started the Painted Cave fire, clearing the way for the county to seek $2.75 million in damages from him.
“Now we can move on to making him pay what he owes us, but it’s not a quick process,” Deputy County Counsel Jake Stoddard said after Thursday’s ruling. “We have to identify his assets before we can attempt to seize them.”
Ross, 49, a self-employed artist who lives on 40 acres near Goleta, may have little in the way of financial holdings besides the property he owns off Old San Marcos Road.
The wind-driven wildfire in June 1990 destroyed hundreds of homes and killed a woman. Although authorities were convinced it was set by Ross to burn out a neighboring landowner, there wasn’t enough evidence to file criminal charges against him.
Start your day right
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
