Homeless Man to be Sentenced for Montecito Motors Fire

The man alleged to have started a fire in the former home of Montecito Motors at 530 Chapala Street in January will receive one year in County Jail.

Andrew Easton pleaded to recklessly causing a fire on March 14, and is scheduled to be sentenced in June, according to prosecutor Mary Barron.

Investigators had determined the wood trim of a door on the outside of the building caught fire, spreading to other parts of the structure. Authorities said it was likely started by an open flame. They eventually determined Easton, a homeless man who often camps in the area, was to blame, and he was arrested.

The owner of the building had been working with the city to secure permits to renovate, following the closure of Montecito Motors.