Calaveras County deputies arrest man found in evacuation zone of Airola fire
The Calaveras County Sheriff’s Office arrested an allegedly intoxicated man who hiked into the woods to circumvent a roadblock and enter the evacuation area for the Airola Fire.
Authorities first encountered the man, 32-year-old Richard Serva, when he approached a roadblock on Parrots Ferry Road shortly before midnight Wednesday.
According to a press release from the Sheriff’s Office, Serva “was irate and yelling profanities” at California Highway Patrol officers stationed at the roadblock.
The CHP officers told Serva the area was closed due to the Airola fire, which broke out Wednesday afternoon and had burned 700 acres as of Thursday morning.
“Serva became increasingly agitated while speaking with the officers” before walking away, according to the press release.
About 10 minutes later, Calaveras deputies providing extra patrols of the evacuation area to search for looters saw Serva walking on Parrots Ferry.
Deputies learned he walked into the woods to go around the roadblock.
When the deputies contacted him he was still uncooperative, shouting for the deputies to “take him to jail,” according to the press release.
Serva was arrested on suspicion of unauthorized entry into an emergency area, public intoxication and delaying a peace offer in performance of duties, all misdemeanors.
“He was evacuated and relocated to the Calaveras County Jail,” the press release said.
Lt. Greg Spark said Serva is from Avery, which is about 10 miles from the evacuation area. He did not know what Serva was doing in the area or where he was trying to go.
During evacuations, the Calaveras County Sheriff’s Office coordinates mutual aid with local and state law enforcement agencies to provide extra patrol to search for looters and trespassers to ensure the security of the evacuated areas.
The Sheriff’s Office said people who illegally enter evacuation areas slow, and at times stop, firefighting progress and the flow of emergency equipment and personnel.
“Evacuations are put into place to save lives and protect property,” the press release said. “If you are caught interfering with those efforts in Calaveras County you will go directly to jail.”
This story was originally published August 26, 2021 at 12:56 PM.
