The man accused of starting the Alexander Mountain Fire west of Loveland in July 2024 pleaded not guilty to all six charges he is facing Wednesday morning.
Jason Hobby, 50, pleaded not guilty in 8th Judicial District Court in Fort Collins to first-degree arson, a class 3 felony; two counts of impersonating a peace officer, a class 5 felony; false imprisonment, a class 5 felony; menacing with a real or simulated weapon, a class 5 felony; and impersonating a public servant, a class 2 misdemeanor, according to court records.
Hobby, 50, was Sept. 10, 2024, in connection with the fire, which was first reported July 29, 2024, before charring nearly 10,000 acres in Larimer County. Among the burned land were parts of the Sylvan Dale Ranch and over a thousand acres that the ranch’s owners were planning to donate to the Heart-J Center for Experimental Learning, a plan investigators were Hobby was against. He was employed by the ranch as a security officer until he was terminated in July 2024 after repeated incidents with other staff members and visitors.
Investigators found that Hobby portrayed himself as a firefighter in the aftermath, despite having no formal credentials. A ranch staff member told investigators that he was concerned Hobby started the fire to “insert himself as a hero in the eyes of staff after his recent disciplinary work history,” according to his .
In October, Judge Sarah Cure decided there was enough evidence in Hobby’s case to proceed to trial, which prompted defense attorney Mark Savoy to appeal the ruling to the Colorado Supreme Court. The petition was denied Nov. 13, according to court records.
Hobby is set to appear for a three-week trial beginning July 6, 2026, with no trial scheduled on July 14, according to an email from Kylie Massman, communications and community engagement specialist for the 8th Judicial District Attorney’s Office.
