Four arrests in fireworks fire

Four people were jailed late Tuesday after illegal fireworks sparked a 30-foot-by-30-foot wildland fire in East Valley.

Danilo Aguilera, 22, of Gardnerville; Tracy Johnstone, 27, of Stateline; Steven Seyfferle, 25, of Minden, and Bradley Zehner of Gardnerville, were charged with third-degree arson. Aguilera was charged with having an open container and Seyfferle was charged with possession of fireworks.

According to reports, a Chiquita Circle resident reported fireworks to the sheriff's office and a small wildland fire at the end of East Valley Road on the dirt behind Lindsay Lane.

By the time deputies arrived, the reporting party had blocked in the suspects' vehicle with his pickup truck.

At first, the four denied any involvement and said they spotted the fire and were leaving the area for better cell phone reception to report the blaze.

Deputies said they appeared to be intoxicated.

The driver refused to allow deputies to search his vehicle, but fireworks were in plain view along with two 18-packs of beer and an open container.

Seyfferle reportedly admitted taking the fireworks from his stepfather's cache and setting them off.

He said he had no intention of starting the fire, that alcohol clouded his judgment, and he regretted his actions.

Seyfferle said he tried to stamp out the fire, but it grew too quickly. Deputies said hair was singed on both his legs.

Deputies also recovered a base to launch fireworks from the trunk of the car.

-- A suspect in a counterfeit-check ring is to appear in East Fork Justice Court on Aug. 8 on six charges including burglary and fraudulent use of a credit card.

Donald Mondragon, 26, was arrested July 31 in Santa Rosa, Calif.

He was accused of using a stolen credit card and checks to purchase items at local stores and to obtain money fraudulently.

A 36-year-old woman reported someone broke into her vehicle in January and stole her credit cards and checks.

Mondragon also was a suspect in the passing of fake checks at several Carson City casinos between November and January, estimated at more than $5,000.

Mondragon, in Douglas County Jail on $50,000 cash bail, told East Fork Judge Jim EnEarl on Wednesday he hadn't worked since last summer and could not afford an attorney.

EnEarl appointed lawyer Derrick Lopez.

Mondragon is charged with three counts of burglary, two counts of fraudulent use of a credit card and one count of conspiracy to utter a forged instrument.