A 45-year-old San Bernardino man who impersonated a firefighter during the Lake Fire and was arrested in Big Bear has been sentenced to five years in prison under a plea agreement. (File Photo)
By G. T. Houts
San Bernardino, CA – David Anthony Battle, 45, has been sentenced to 5 years in state prison after accepting a plea bargain offered by San Bernardino County Judge Richard V. Peel. He was arrested in Big Bear June 27 after passing as a firefighter at the Lake Fire.
David Anthony Battle (Sheriff’s Department Photo)
Judge Peal accepted a nolo contendere plea to a misdemeanor charge of impersonating a firefighter, a felony count of being in possession of a stolen gun and a felony count of vehicle theft. He also entered the no contest plea to two misdemeanor counts of receiving stolen property.
Battle was remanded to the custody of the San Bernardino County Sheriff to be delivered to the California Department of Corrections at Chino.
THE INCIDENT
At approximately 5 p.m. on Saturday, June 27, San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Deputies assigned to the Lake Fire for perimeter patrol and security of evacuated areas observed a white Crown Victoria driving into affected areas that were closed by road blocks.
The Crown Victoria driven by David Battle when he was arrested at the Lake Fire Camp at Big Bear High School on June 27. (Sheriff’s Department Photo)
Approximately 15 minutes later, the vehicle was located at the Incident Command Post in the parking lot at Big Bear High School. Deputies made contact with the subject in the vehicle and identified him as Battle.
At the time of contact, Battle could not provide proper fire department identification. Upon further inspection, deputies noticed that the tires on the vehicle were bald.
A records check revealed that the California exempt license plates on the vehicle had been stolen.
Deputies ran the vehicle VIN, and determined that the vehicle had been stolen from San Bernardino approximately two weeks earlier.
A stolen handgun was also found in the vehicle. Battle was found to be on felony probation for a previous charge of grand theft auto.
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