L.A. Arson Suspect Charged With 37 Felony Counts

A German national accused of setting a series of fires in Hollywood, West Hollywood and the San Fernando Valley over New Year's weekend was charged Wednesday with 37 felony counts of arson.

Harry Burkhart, 24, was charged with 28 counts of arson of property and nine counts of arson of an inhabited structure. He was expected to be arraigned sometime Wednesday afternoon in downtown Los Angeles.

Burkhart was arrested early Monday and remains in custody without bail in connection with the fires that were set beginning early Thursday at more than 50 locations, mostly in Hollywood and West Hollywood but also in North Hollywood, Studio City, Burbank and Sunland.

The charges filed Wednesday relate to 12 fires that were set in Hollywood, West Hollywood and Sherman Oaks, according to Los Angeles County District Attorney Steve Cooley.

"The complaint also alleges that the arson was caused by use of a device designed to accelerate the fire," Cooley said. "If found true, the allegation could mean additional custody time for the defendant."

Cooley said additional charges could be filed.

"Our investigation of the 52 fires believed connected to this defendant is not over," he said. "Appropriate action will be taken as further evidence is presented for our review."

In many instances, fires started in carports raced to adjoining apartment buildings. The property damage resulting from the fires has been estimated at $3 million. One firefighter and a civilian suffered relatively minor injuries.

The fires stopped following Burkhart's arrest.

Investigators said an obscenity-laced outburst Burkhart let loose at an extradition hearing for his mother on Dec. 29 helped lead to his capture. When images of "a person of interest" emerged Sunday in connection with the arson fires, a law enforcement officer who had witnessed the outburst reportedly recognized Burkhart and gave local authorities his name, according to the DA's office.

According to a court declaration prepared by a Sheriff's Department investigator, Burkhart became enraged during the hearing, shouting things such as "[expletive] all Americans." Burkhart was escorted out of the courtroom by U.S. marshals.

Burkhart was arrested around 3 a.m. Monday at Sunset Boulevard and Fairfax Avenue by a reserve sheriff's deputy who spotted his minivan.

According to the court declaration by sheriff's investigator Edward M. Nordskog, a search of Burkhart's residence after his arrest turned up copies of Los Angeles Times articles about the fires, along with articles from Germany about similar carport fires in Frankfurt last year.

Burkhart's mother, Dorothee, appeared in federal court in downtown L.A. for a detention hearing Tuesday, but the proceeding was delayed until Friday to give her time to hire an attorney. She is wanted in Germany on 19 counts of fraud, including charges that she failed to pay a bill of about $10,000 for breast-augmentation surgery and bilked apartment renters out of security deposits.

A warrant for her arrest was issued by a judge in Frankfurt in 2007, according to federal court papers.

In court Tuesday, Dorothee Burkhart asked loudly for her son several times, repeating in heavily accented English, "Where is my son? What did you do to my son?"

At one point, the woman, who is in her early 50s, proclaimed something about "German Nazis" and said of her son, "He is mentally ill" and has "disappeared."

Dorothee Burkhart has also been linked to a website offering the services of a licensed massage therapist. The website is registered in her name with the Hollywood address where she was living with her son.

Harry Burkhart could also be facing charges in Germany. German authorities told the Times Burkhart is suspected of setting fire to a home owned by his family on Oct. 14 in Schwalm-Eder-Kreis near Frankfurt. The home was destroyed, but was vacant at the time.

Burkhart flew to the United States on Oct. 20, the Times reported.

According to the court declaration, Burkhart's visa is set to expire Jan. 18.

—City News Service.