Initial suspect in Ogden fire that torched 18 acres probably didn't start the blaze, official says

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Authorities say an initial suspect in a July 11 fire that torched the mountainside abutting Ogden likely did not start the blaze.
The focus of investigators, instead, has shifted to a juvenile suspect.
Justin Hurd, the initial suspect, faced a separate charge for an open alcohol container on July 10, a few hours before the fire.

OGDEN — A man who authorities had suspected in a fire last month on a mountainside abutting Ogden probably wasn't involved after all, officials say.

Instead, investigators have put a focus on a juvenile suspect.

"Further investigation revealed that (Justin Derald) Hurd most likely did not start the fire. There is a juvenile suspect police are doing some follow up investigation on currently," Weber County Attorney Chris Allred said in a message to KSL on Monday.

Hurd, 51, had initially been arrested by Ogden police in connection with the July 11 incident for investigation of recklessly causing a catastrophe, a class A misdemeanor. But he was never formally charged in the blaze by Weber County prosecutors, though he faced a class C misdemeanor in Ogden Justice Court stemming from an incident on July 10, hours before the blaze.

The July 11 fire in the area of 1100 North Mountain Road, called the Mountain Road Fire, burned 18 acres adjacent to homes on Ogden's east bench. It didn't end up damaging any of them, though, thanks to the aggressive response involving 60 firefighters, Logan hotshots and a helicopter that dropped water on the area.

The initial police booking affidavit filed against Hurd had cited information supplied by a juvenile male who had been with the man that evening.

The juvenile "stated that Justin attempted to build a campfire by setting dry wood alight with a pink cigarette lighter. (The juvenile) stated that the fire quickly grew out of control and began to spread despite his and Justin's efforts to contain it," reads the original affidavit, now seemingly discounted.

Though not charged in connection with the fire, Hurd faced a charge in Ogden Justice Court of having an open container of alcohol in a vehicle or drinking alcohol in a vehicle on July 10 at 9:17 p.m., about three-and-a-half hours before the fire was reported. Court papers don't provide additional information on the July 10 incident but say the case has been closed, with Hurd paying a $110 fine.

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