Trial set for man in home blast

If the Live Oak house had not been reinforced to withstand an earthquake, the explosion inside would have knocked the walls down, a fire investigator testified Friday in Sutter County Superior Court.

Lt. Curt Graham of the Sutter County Fire Department was a witness at the preliminary hearing for Juan Jose Luna, 29, who's charged with burning down his own house down in an attempt to collect insurance.

Visiting Judge James F. Dawson bound Luna over for trial at the end of the four-hour hearing. But defense attorney Jesse Santana said he's confident Luna will be found not guilty.

Luna allegedly sloshed gasoline inside the 1,300-square-foot house in the 2800 block of Elm Street and tried to ignite it from the back door shortly after 5 a.m. on June 12.

Fumes inside ignited, causing a blast that blew walls 2 feet outward. "Earthquake strapping" kept them from falling, said Graham. Graham told Deputy District Attorney Chris Carlos that he found a lighter on the ground about a foot from the door and blood on the door jamb.

He called it likely that the explosion blew the door against the hand of the person who held the lighter.

Neighbors heard "a loud, thundering noise" and saw Luna in front of their house, apparently missing the middle finger on his left hand, said Rinna Her, a detective with the Sutter County Sheriff's Department.

A 50-yard blood trail led from Luna's house, said Her.

Luna asked the neighbors for a bowl of ice and a ride to the hospital. Instead, they called 911.

Luna was picked up by an ambulance, then transferred to a helicopter for a trip to the University of California, Davis, Medical Center.

Paramedics on the helicopter said Luna's clothes reeked of gasoline. Luna asked them to throw the clothes away, said Her.

At the hospital, Her collected the clothing, along with more than $8,000 in cash that Luna had with him, he said.

Her said he called a San Francisco mortgage company and learned there were three liens against the house, which had been appraised at $135,000, not including land.

According to Graham, the fire that followed the explosion originated in a bedroom at one end of the house and an office at the other end. Melted gasoline containers were found in both rooms, he said.

Luna will be arraigned March 17.

Contact Appeal-Democrat reporter Rob Young at 749-4710 or ryoung@appealdemocrat.com