An alleged Neenach fire-starter, who was seen by a freelance fire photographer from Valencia lighting fires in the Neenach area, is scheduled back in court at the end of October.

David Artiaga, 28, of Neenach, will be seen in court for his preliminary hearing on October 30, a Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office official said Monday.

Freelance fire photographer Bernie Deyo said he was having dinner with a friend when they noticed smoke in the sky and drove towards it. They reported it to authorities right away.

In minutes, Deyo, of Valencia and his friend, Jeff Zimmerman, 54, of Neenach, made it to the scene where they saw a man — who appeared to have suffered severe burns — lighting multiple fires in an open field.

Related Story: Neenach Fire-Starter To Be Seen In Court Mid-October

Deyo said he recorded the event over a live social media app called Periscope — which streams live content — until his phone battery died.

“It’s such a remote area, and arson is such a hard crime to prove,” said Deyo. “I thought if I get video of this guy, they’ll know who they’re looking for and there’s documentation of the crime actually occurring.”

The two were later recognized by the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station for documenting the reported crime.

From a previous story: LASD Recognizes Photographers Who Captured Arson Suspect On Camera

Artiaga pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity in early August, officials said.

Artiaga’s case began in Department 95 of the Los Angeles County Superior Court system, where attorneys held several hearings to determine Artiagas competency in order to stand trial.

The process for determining competency is lengthy and involves several hearings and status reports, according to a Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office spokesman.

As of Sept. 28, Artiaga’s last court appearance, Artiaga was still in the process of having his competency be determined.  

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