Prosecutors have not filed charges against two men accused of targeting a homeless encampment and igniting a brush fire that threatened dozens of homes in Eagle Rock and Glendale in August, saying they have sent the case back to police for further investigation, the District Attorney’s Office said Tuesday.
Daniel Michael Nogueira and Bryan Antonio Araujocabrera, both 25, were arrested on suspicion of attempted murder six days after allegedly starting the Aug. 25 blaze in the 2900 block of Colorado Boulevard in Eagle Rock.
Nogueira’s father, Michael, has presided over the Eagle Rock Chamber of Commerce for at least 10 years and became “distressed and distraught” when he found out that his son had been arrested, the Los Angeles Times previously reported.
Daniel Nogueira’s bail was set at $1 million, and he was released on bond on Sept. 1, county inmate records showed.
Araujocabrera was “released early” on Sept. 14, the Sheriff’s Department said.
More than 200 firefighters responded to the fire reported just after 4 p.m. on Aug. 25, according to the L.A. Fire Department. It forced the closure of the 134 and 2 freeways and the evacuation of about 100 homes in Eagle Rock and Glendale.
Flames scorched about 45 acres over two days, the Fire Department said. Other than a Glendale city firefighter who suffered a minor injury, nobody else was hurt in the incident, according to authorities.
The District Attorney’s Office provided no further details about why they returned the case to investigators.
