Man to stand trial on murder and arson charges in connection to fires in Desert Hot Springs

A man accused of trying to kill two people by setting fire
to homes at a Desert Hot Springs mobile home park must stand trial for
attempted murder and arson, a judge ruled Monday.
Michael Eric McPeters, 42, is charged with two counts of attempted
murder, three counts of arson of an inhabited property and one count each of
arson of an uninhabited property, arson of a structure or forest land and
making criminal threats.
McPeters also faces sentence-enhancing allegations of causing multiple
structures to burn and committing arson while the state’s emergency drought
regulations were in effect.
McPeters is due back in court on Aug. 24 for a post-preliminary hearing
arraignment.
A criminal complaint accuses McPeters of targeting and threatening the
lives of a man and a woman, as well as setting fire to numerous structures on
June 3 at Palm Drive Mobile Estates at 15687 Palm Drive.
The fire, which was reported at 4:52 p.m., caused an estimated $40,000
in damage. Flames spread by strong winds prompted residents living downwind of
the fire to evacuate.
More than 30 firefighters were dispatched to the scene, one of whom was
evaluated at a hospital for non-life-threatening injuries, according to Jody
Hagemann of the Riverside County Fire Department.
Crews contained the fire at 5:48 p.m., but remained on scene for several
hours, she said.
McPeters was arrested late that night by Cal Fire investigators.
McPeters remains in custody at the Riverside County jail in Indio, where
he was being held in lieu of $1 million bail, according to jail records.