Firefighter accused of child molestation

Maricopa police arrested a firefighter assigned to the Zaca fire on child molestation charges.

The suspect, James Steven Wynalda, 54, of Visalia, was booked into the Kern County jail and charged with felony counts of oral copulation with a child younger than 14 years old; lewd and lascivious acts with a child younger than 14 involving force or fear; and sexual battery.

Wynalda was also charged with a misdemeandor count of annoying a child. His bail was set at $167,500.

Maricopa Chief of Police Michael Taylor declined to reveal any information about the victim.

According to a news release from the Maricopa Police Department, officers received a report of suspicious circumstances at 11:15 p.m. Friday night and contacted a juvenile who had been the victim of a sexual assault.

According to the press release, the victim was assaulted in a room at the Motel 8.

Officers said the victim told them the suspect was a firefighter and described him as an older white male adult.

Wynalda was arrested at 2:38 a.m. Saturday morning in his room at the Motel 8, Taylor said.

Wynalda is a California Department of Forestry firefighter assigned to the Zaca fire, according to Taylor.

Midway Driller