The owner of an auto collision shop where authorities say the August blaze began was among those taken into custody.
SANTA CLARITA, CA — Four people, including the owner of an auto collision shop, were arrested on suspicion of arson and conspiracy in connection with an August fire that tore through Old Town Newhall and caused an estimated $13 million in property damage, authorities said.
The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department identified the people arrested Thursday as John Wright, 47, of Canyon Country; Cristian Leija, 43, of El Monte; Jesus Figueroa, 54, of Canyon Country; and Antoinette Ruiz, 35, of El Monte. Detectives investigating the Main Fire served search warrants at four locations in Los Angeles County before making the arrests. Authorities have not publicly detailed the evidence that led investigators to the four or disclosed a possible motive.
Wright owns Gary’s Auto Collision Center, according to local reports. The Los Angeles County Fire Department previously said the Aug. 24 fire began inside the auto body shop before spreading to adjoining businesses along Main Street. The blaze was reported shortly before 3 a.m. and grew into a major structure fire that involved seven structures in the historic commercial district.
The fire heavily damaged or destroyed several businesses and community spaces, including Gary’s Auto Collision Center, The MAIN theater, Newhall Refinery restaurant and Care Tucker Style House. More than 100 firefighters responded as flames spread through the connected commercial properties. The Sheriff’s Department later estimated the total property damage at approximately $13 million.
Sheriff’s investigators announced the arrests more than two months after the fire. Capt. Robbie Royster praised members of the department’s Arson and Explosives Detail for what he described as persistent work on the case. Royster said investigators had continued pursuing leads since the day of the blaze and called the arrests a significant development in the investigation.
The arrests do not establish guilt, and the criminal case remained in an early stage Friday. The Santa Clarita Valley Signal reported that a Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office spokeswoman said the case had not yet been presented to prosecutors as of 1 p.m. Friday. Wright, Figueroa and Leija were expected to remain in custody pending court appearances Monday at the San Fernando Courthouse, according to the newspaper.
Wright’s bail was listed at $500,000 in sheriff’s custody records, while no bail amount was listed for Figueroa or Leija in the records reviewed by local reporters. Ruiz was released Friday morning because there was insufficient evidence to sustain the booking charge, the Signal reported. Authorities initially said all four had been arrested in connection with suspected arson and conspiracy, with Ruiz’s booking listed as criminal conspiracy.
The investigation follows months of scrutiny over the origin of the Main Fire. County fire officials said shortly after the blaze that it started at Gary’s Auto Collision Center and then moved into neighboring businesses. Investigators from the Sheriff’s Department’s Arson and Explosives Detail worked with county fire personnel to determine the fire’s origin and cause. Authorities have not publicly explained what they believe each suspect did or what allegedly led to the fire.
The fire struck a prominent section of Old Town Newhall, an arts, dining and entertainment district within Santa Clarita. Its impact extended beyond the buildings that burned. Business owners told local media that the destroyed properties, insurance issues and continuing restrictions around the fire scene have affected merchants elsewhere on Main Street as the district works to recover.
Some businesses directly affected by the fire were still waiting for answers from insurers as of Friday. The Signal reported that access to portions of the damaged property remained restricted and that material at the scene had been identified as potential evidence in the continuing investigation. The city of Santa Clarita, which operated The MAIN theater as a tenant, was among the parties dealing with losses connected to the fire.
The Sheriff’s Department said the investigation remains active. Officials have not released a suspected motive or a detailed account of the evidence behind the arrests, and prosecutors had not announced formal charges as of Friday afternoon. The next major step is expected to come as investigators present their findings for prosecutorial review and the three men remaining in custody make their scheduled court appearances.
Author note: Last updated October 31, 2026.