California Camp Ranger Wants $1M Dorner Reward
A California camp ranger who was carjacked by fugitive ex-cop Christopher Dorner is seeking the $1.2 million reward for Dorner's capture, according to the Los Angeles Times.
Dorner, accused of killing four people and threatening the lives of several dozen more, died following a standoff with police near Big Bear, Calif., when the cabin in which he was barricaded burned down with him inside on Feb. 12.
During Dorner's crime spree, he carjacked camp ranger Rick Heltebrake's truck.
"I saw some movement in the trees. and it was Christopher Dorner," Heltebrake told ABC News after the incident. "And he came out onto the road, out of the snow. And he was dressed in all camouflage and had a big assault, sniper-type rifle. And he had a vest on, like a ballistics vest.
"He was dressed up to do some damage it looked like," Heltebrake said. "He said, 'I don't want to hurt you. Just get out and start walking up the road and take your dog with you.'"
Dorner then took off into the woods on foot, where sheriff's deputies pursued him to a rental cabin in which he barricaded himself and began firing.
Heltebrake used his cell phone to call the San Bernardino Sheriff's office to report the incident and Dorner's location, Heltebrake's attorney Allen Thomas wrote in the reward claim, according to the L.A. Times.
"Mr. Heltebrake's telephone call to Deputy Franklin notified law enforcement of Mr. Dorner's location, provided a description of the vehicle he was fleeing in and was the substantial factor in the capture of Mr. Dorner at the cabin location," his attorney wrote, according to the paper. "Consequently, Mr. Heltebrake accepts the mayor's offer of the entire reward of $1.2 million."
Neither Heltebrake nor his attorney responded to requests for comment from ABCNews.com.
A spokeswoman for L.A. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa's office said today that it had "no additional information at this time" and referred to the joint statement from Villaraigosa and LAPD Chief Charlie Beck issued on Feb. 14.
"Now that the search for Christopher Dorner appears to have concluded, we are addressing the issue of the $1 million reward," the statement said. "More than 20 jurisdictions and entities are involved in this reward, so all of them will be coming together to collectively determine whether any individual or individuals qualify for it. Our personal hope is that the reward will be distributed, but we must follow the rules and respect the procedures of each entity."