This episode of Hot Pursuit features Investigator Gillespie, who has been with the Orange County Fire Authority (OCFA) since 2005 and in the Investigation Unit since 2019. Investigator Gillespie discusses two unique cases. The first case involves a fire at an auto shop in Garden Grove. The fire was initially reported as a commercial structure fire, but it was actually located in the parking lot and consisted of piles of cardboard. The second case involves 11 different fires that occurred over about an hour and a half. A molotov cocktail was found at one of the fires, and an unsuccessful wicking device. This was clearly arson, but now Investigators narrow in on a suspect. Do Investigators catch him….or her….in time?

This episode of Hot Pursuit features a case investigated by Investigator McCulloch with the Orange County Fire Authority. The incident took place in April 2022, around 3:00 a.m. in the morning, when a vehicle fire was reported in a Walmart parking lot in Lake Forest. The fire was initially reported as a commercial structure fire, but upon arrival it was in fact a vehicle fire. Firefighters from Engine 54 responded and found that the fire damage was not in the engine compartment, which was unusual, so they called in fire investigators. Investigators arrived on scene and found long stem fireplace matches at the scene. This episode highlights the importance of eliminating bias in investigations and the challenges of understanding the motives behind arson. Let’s listen to see who the suspect could be!

This episode of Hot Pursuit features a special guest, Officer Justin Russell. Officer Russell was embedded with the Orange County Fire Authority Investigations Division for seven years. He worked as a liaison between the Investigations Unit and local law enforcement partners, helping to bridge the gap between the two agencies and build a successful model for collaboration.

This episode focuses on a case involving a vehicle fire that occurred in March of 2020. The vehicle, a 2012 Audi, was found fully engulfed in flames in a cul-de-sac in Irvine. The registered owner, “Larry”, claimed the car had been stolen from his garage while he was sleeping. However, several suspicious details emerged during the investigation. Listen to the full episode to hear how this mystery ends.