Holy Fire Suspect Set to Be Arraigned in Orange County After 3 Mental Evaluations

  • Source: KTLA-TV WB 5 Los Angeles
  • Published: 12/12/2018 09:52 AM

A man suspected of sparking the destructive Holy Fire is expected to be arraigned Wednesday after a third psychiatric evaluation showed the defendant to be competent. Forrest Gordon Clark was first ordered to undergo a mental exam back in August, when he acted erratically and made rambling statements in court, telling the judge at one point that he "comprehended" the charges against him but "did not understand" them. Clark, 51, was evaluated for a third time after the first two doctors came to conflicting conclusions about his mental fitness, according to the Los Angeles Times. A third exam -- the deciding tie-breaker -- demonstrated he was competent to face arson charges stemming from the Holy Fire, the Desert Sun reported. The wildfire burned nearly 23,000 acres -- about 35 square miles -- and destroyed more than a dozen homes in Orange and Riverside counties last August.



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