DA: King Fire suspect may plead guilty

Arson suspect Wayne Allen Huntsman, 38, is expected to change his not guilty plea this week, according to El Dorado County district attorney officials.

Wayne Allen Huntsman

Huntsman is accused of starting the September 2014 King Fire that burned 97,700 acres, mostly in El Dorado County. It started near Pollock Pines and burned for 27 days.

Huntsman is scheduled to be in El Dorado County Superior Court in Placerville on April 8.

He remains in the Placerville jail. Bail is set at $10 million for each of three arson counts.

A grand jury indictment accuses Huntsman of arson of forestland with five special allegations of arson with aggravating factors. This includes causing great bodily injury because a firefighter was hurt, and an enhancement because of the 12 houses and 68 outbuildings that were destroyed at a loss of $6.5 million.

— Lake Tahoe News staff report