Employer Convicted in Wildfire Death Case Sentenced to House Arrest

Monday, December 16, 2019 | 0

A California man who employed the only person who died fighting the 2016 Soberanes Fire was sentenced to 300 days of house arrest after he was convicted on charges that included illegally operating without workers’ compensation coverage.

KQED reports that a Monterey County judge also sentenced Ian Czirban to serve three years of felony probation.

Czirban was convicted in October of not having comp coverage, failing to file a payroll tax return and filing a false document.

Robert Reagan III, 35, died in July 2016 when a bulldozer he was driving around a steep grade rolled over. He was thrown from the vehicle, which then crushed him.

Reagan was working for Czirban Concrete Construction at the time of the accident.

Czirban’s attorney said he intends to appeal the decision and argue Reagan was an independent contractor and not an employee.