ALAMOSA – District Attorney Anne Kelly has filed a charge of arson — a class three felony — against Monte Vista resident Darrius Garcia, 22. The charges are in connection with a fire that, according to Monte Vista city officials, damaged or destroyed several structures and reportedly displaced six families in Monte Vista in April.

At approximately 12:15 p.m. on April 20, the Monte Vista Police Department, the Colorado Bureau of Investigation, the Rio Grande Sheriff’s Office, the Bureau of Land Management and the Monte Vista Fire Protection District responded to reports of a spreading fire in the area of the 800 block of Acequia Drive.

The origin of the fire was determined to be a burn pit at Absolute Shine Auto Body & Paint where Garcia was an employee.

The complaint alleges that Garcia recklessly started a fire endangering property valued between $100,000 and $1,000,000. Garcia’s next court appearance is in Rio Grande County District Court at 11 a.m. on Dec.

The investigation is ongoing.

All suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.