Full Notification

DATE/TIME: Saturday, December 7, 2024 -  3:48 p.m.

INCIDENT: PC451(C) - Arson to Wildlands; PC71(a) - Threaten Public Official; PC422(a) - Criminal Threats; PC417(a)(1) - Brandishing a Weapon; PC69(a) - Resist an Executive Officer

LOCATION: 10200 block of Hawk Valley Road, Morongo Valley

SUSPECT(S): James Moretti, 49-year-old Resident of Cathedral City

VICTIM(S): State of California, Emergency Personnel of the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, Personnel of the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department.


SUMMARY: On Saturday, December 7, 2024, at approximately 3:48 p.m., deputies from the Morongo Basin Sheriff's Station responded to the area of Cedar Drive and Hawk Valley Road in Morongo Valley to assist fire personnel of the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire) with a person interfering with firefighter personnel battling a canyon brush fire.

Emergency fire personnel from multiple agencies had responded to the above location for a wildfire of grass and brush. As the ground crews approached the canyon, James Moretti confronted the fire personnel armed with a knife, threatened them, and prevented them from engaging the fire. Fire personnel observed Moretti actively using an open flame device to ignite brush and grass on fire, prompting an emergency request for assistance from the Sheriff’s Department. Deputies immediately responded, and upon contacting Moretti, observed him using an open flame device in one hand to start additional fires while still wielding a knife in the other.  Moretti disobeyed commands by deputies to stop igniting additional fires and to drop the knife, forcing deputies to use a less-lethal force option which caused minor injury to Moretti. Moretti was taken into custody and transported to a local area hospital for treatment.

Detectives from the Sheriff’s Bomb/Arson detail responded and assisted Cal Fire Arson Investigators with the arson investigation.
Fire personnel successfully contained and extinguished the fire without further incident. James Moretti was placed under arrest for multiple counts of arson to wildlands, threatening a public official, criminal threats, brandishing a weapon, and resisting an executive officer. Moretti was transported to West Valley Detention Center where he is being held in lieu of $70,000 bail.

If you have any information related to this investigation, please contact the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department Morongo Basin Station at 760-366-4175. Anyone wishing to remain anonymous may contact We-Tip at 1-800-78-CRIME.

Refer: Deputy T. Harlacker / Deputy N. Bakker

Station: SBCSD Morongo Basin Station

Phone No. 760-366-4175

Case No. 092402010

SHANNON D. DICUS, Sheriff-Coroner
San Bernardino County Sheriff-Coroner Department