Homeowner charged with 4th Degree Arson

Boulder County, Colo. - On August 8, 2023, at approximately 1:53 a.m., deputies noticed a strong smell of smoke in the town of Nederland. Upon investigating, they discovered a two-story cabin on Wolf Tongue Court, in Nederland, that was fully engulfed.

Multiple fire departments responded to battle the fire. Fire personnel searched the home for any occupants, as the homeowner’s whereabouts were unknown at the time. No one was found in the home during the search. There were no other structures threatened. No fire and or law enforcement personnel were injured in the incident.

The homeowner, Jarrod Rothwell, 30-years-old, was later located and spoke to deputies. He admitted to playing with a butane lighter that caught clothes on fire in the basement of the residence.

It was also learned that a dog was in the home at the time of the fire. The homeowner did not attempt to rescue the dog, nor did the homeowner notify first responders of the fire, which may have resulted in the dog’s rescue. This lack of action resulted in a charge of animal cruelty. The dog was later found deceased inside the residence.

Mr. Rothwell was arrested and booked in the Boulder County Jail, on the following charges:

• 4th Degree Arson - Property Endangered - $100,000 to < $1,000,000 - (F3)
• Cruelty To Animals - (M1)

The Multi-Agency Fire Investigation Team (MAFIT) was called in to investigate the cause and origin of the fire. A search warrant will be executed at the property once the scene is deemed safe for investigators to retrieve evidence.

Agencies responding to this incident included: Boulder County Sheriff’s Office, Nederland Fire Protection District, Sugarloaf Fire Protection District, Timberline Fire Protection District, American Medical Response, and MAFIT.

The associated case number for the incident was: 23-04282.

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/s/ Carrie Haverfield, Public Information Specialist