Colorado Man Pleads Guilty to Starting Wildfire While Trying to Cremate Dog
A Colorado man, Brent Garber, 64, pleaded guilty on Wednesday to one count of attempted arson for starting a wildfire in Montrose County last year while attempting to cremate his dog, Rocket, court records reveal. Originally facing multiple charges including felony arson and trespassing, Garber accepted a plea deal.
The Bucktail fire, ignited on August 1, 2024, north of Nucla, was one of Colorado’s largest wildfires in the previous year, scorching 7,200 acres of private and national forest land, causing an estimated $300,000 in damages, and destroying a home, as detailed in Garber’s arrest affidavit.
Garber became a suspect when a Montrose County Sheriff’s Office commander observed him driving away from the fire shortly after it started. Investigators discovered a dug-out cave at the fire’s origin, along with the partially burned remains of Rocket and a rock inscribed with “Oct. 2017 – July 2024, Rocket Dog, Rest in Peace Buddy.”
Garber’s sentencing is set for July 16. Stay updated on crime news by subscribing to our newsletter.
