All charges have been dropped against a Folsom man who was arrested in connection with the 2021 Caldor Fire.
Travis Shane Smith, 32, and his father David Scott Smith, 66, were arrested and charged with reckless arson in December 2021, months after the start of the wildfire. Both pleaded not guilty to the charges. In January, a judge ruled that there was “not sufficient evidence” to take the case to trial.
But Shane and David Smith were also facing separate gun charges in connection with the incident. Shane was charged with possession of owning a machine gun, and David is charged with owning a silencer.
On Monday, a judge approved a request to dismiss Shane’s gun charge, according to El Dorado County Superior Court documents. His bail was also exonerated as he’s no longer facing any charges related to the incident.
“They suffered a lot, the Smith family,” said attorney Mark Reichel, who is representing both Travis and David Smith. “Everyone in the community thought they were guilty.”
The Caldor Fire burned for 67 days In El Dorado and Amador counties, destroying more than 1,000 structures and forcing 53,000 people from their homes. It was the second fire to burn across the crest of the Sierra Nevada in state history, the first being the Dixie Fire earlier in the summer of 2021.
David Smith is still facing the charge of owning a silencer. However, Reichel said his team is pushing for that charge to be dismissed as well. His next hearing is scheduled for June.
El Dorado County District Attorney’s Office would not comment on the situation as “the case is still pending against the co-defendant,” they told CapRadio on Tuesday.
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