Charges filed in the 2003 Old Fire

A special grand jury handed down an indictment Tuesday charging a San Bernardino man with five counts of murder for the October 2003 Old Fire that destroyed 940 homes and left several people dead. Rickie Lee Fowler, 28, was also indicted on one count of arson of an inhabited structure and one count of aggravated arson, San Bernardino County District Attorney Michael Ramos announced during a press conference Tuesday afternoon. “This has been a long, arduous process,” Ramos said. “The San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department has worked tirelessly on this investigation. There were many avenues of investigation to be followed and my office has worked closely with the detectives in developing this case of arson and multiple murder, which we intend to prove in court.” The investigation began to gain steam in February 2008 and new evidence was obtained as recently as three weeks ago that allowed prosecutors to identify Fowler as a suspect, Deputy District Attorney Vic Stull said. Another man, Martin Valdez Jr., was also believed to be a suspect but he was shot and killed in Muscoy in 2006. Stull said prosecutors were not sure who actually threw a road flare that started the blaze but are confident they have enough evidence. The indictment came just in time for the last two counts. The statute of limitations on the arson charge expires Sunday. Even if the statute of limitations did expire on the arson charges Ramos said it would make no difference regarding the murder charges, since “there is no statute of limitations on murder.” Those who perished died of heart attacks related to the fire, officials said. During Tuesday’s press conference, Ramos said Fowler may not even know of the grand jury indictment himself yet, as he sits in Lancaster State Prison for a burglary and theft that he committed not long after the Old Fire. The DA’s office started investigating Fowler’s link to the wildfire based on a phone tip, Ramos said, though no other details on the investigation were immediately released. Sheriffs officials will pick Fowler up from Lancaster and bring him to San Bernardino County for his arraignment in about two weeks, according to Ramos. Ramos said they haven’t determined yet whether to seek the death penalty. All of the victims died of “health-related stress” caused by the fire, which burned 940 homes and 142 square miles in the San Bernardino Mountains. The Old fire and the Grand Prix fire began miles apart from each other on different days. The two fires eventually joined together. The fire ran through foothill communities of Devore, Lytle Creek, Del Rosa, Rancho Cucamonga. With a vengeance, it threatened one subdivision after another. The prevailing west winds pushed the fire, threatening the vulnerable forest communities including Crest Forest, Running Springs, Lake Arrowhead, Cedar Glen and Mt. Baldy Village. Finally, the winds died down enough for firefighters to go on the offensive. The fire cost $37.6 million. The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Old Fire / Grand Prix Fire Timeline

• Oct. 21, 2003: The Grand Prix fire is reported at 2:22 p.m. in the community of Hunter's Ridge.

• Oct. 24, 2003: Grand Prix grows to 12,600 acres and I-15 and I-210 are closed. Parts of Rancho Cucamonga are evacuated.

• Oct. 25, 2003: The Old Fire is reported at 9:16 a.m. in Waterman Canyon. The fire is at 10,000 acres by 6 p.m. and hundreds of homes are destroyed. Evacuation ordered for Crestline to Lake Arrowhead.

• Oct. 26, 2003: The Old Fire grows to 24,000 acres and destroys more than 300 homes. Grand Prix grows to 52,184 acres and destroys 60 homes. Railroad lines in Cajon Pass and I-215 are closed. The two fires merge into one.

• Oct. 27, 2003: Old Fire grows to 36,780 acres. The fire burns into the Lake Arrowhead area and Running Springs.

• Oct. 29, 2003: Old Fire grows to 47,960 acres. By the end of the day an additional 350 homes are destroyed, 300 in the Cedar Glen area.

• Oct. 30, 2003: Old Fire grows to 91,281 acres. More than 40,000 residents remain evacuated but evacuation orders for the Baldy Mesa and Oak Hills areas are lifted.

• Oct. 31: 2003: Old Fire remains at 91,281 acres. Arson is established as the cause of the fire.

• Nov. 1 to Nov. 4, 2003: Old Fire remains at 91,281 acres but continues to threaten the Lake Arrowhead and Running Springs. Mountain residents begin to return home.