Digital evidence proved wrong man arrested for starting Alexander Mountain Fire, Northern Colorado prosecutors say
Prosecutors have dropped the first-degree arson charge against a man accused of starting the Alexander Mountain Fire, saying they no longer believe they have sufficient evidence to prove he was responsible for igniting the wildfire that burned west of Loveland in 2024.
Jason Hobby was arrested by the Larimer County Sheriff's Office following the July 29, 2024 fire and charged with first-degree arson, along with several other offenses including impersonating a peace officer, menacing and false imprisonment.
The case was scheduled to go to trial next month. However, in a recent court filing, Larimer County District Attorney Gordon McLaughlin's office moved to dismiss the arson charge after a reexamination of the evidence.
According to court records obtained by CBS News Colorado, prosecutors concluded they could not prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Hobby started the fire.
The Alexander Mountain Fire sparked west of Loveland on July 29, 2024. It prompted a large response from firefighters, law enforcement agencies and aerial firefighting resources. The blaze threatened nearby communities, triggered pre-evacuation notices for portions of Loveland and burned for nearly three weeks.
Investigators initially focused on Hobby, who worked at Sylvan Dale Ranch near the fire area. Authorities alleged he had unusual knowledge about the fire's origin before investigators determined an official cause and argued he had easy access to the area where the fire started in which the public didn't.
But prosecutors said their further investigation raised significant doubts about those conclusions, worrying them that a jury would not find Hobby guilty of an arson charge.
Among the findings cited in the motion, cellphone data showed Hobby was not near the fire's ignition point in the 24-to-48 hours leading up to the wildfire being reported, the time in which investigators believe the fire first started. Prosecutors also said they found evidence indicating the area where the fire started was accessible to the public, contrary to earlier assumptions. Investigators found evidence of horse and human prints in the dirt as well as reviews on popular hiking websites showing people did regularly access the area.
Additionally, prosecutors said text messages recovered during the investigation showed Hobby discussed multiple possible causes for the fire rather than demonstrating specific knowledge of how it started.
Data from Hobby's smartwatch also indicated he had not engaged in enough physical activity to support a theory that he climbed to the mountainous ignition area before the fire was reported.
The motion also addressed concerns raised during the initial investigation that Hobby may have been attempting to flee Colorado after the fire. Prosecutors said phone data instead supported Hobby's claim that he was trying to retrieve a truck that had broken down in Wyoming weeks before the fire started. According to the motion, texts in the days before the fire showed he had been making efforts to reach the vehicle before the wildfire was reported.
The dismissal of the arson charge does not end the criminal case against Hobby. He still faces multiple charges related to his actions during the wildfire response, including allegations that he falsely represented himself as a firefighter or law enforcement officer in order to gain access to restricted areas around the fire.
CBS News Colorado obtained a court record filed by Hobby's defense team in which they requested the jury trial be canceled and a new date set amid the motion to drop the arson charge.
