VISTA, Calif. -- A 44-year-old man accused of impersonating a firefighter in Fallbrook during the Rice Canyon blaze pleaded not guilty Tuesday to a felony possession of a deadly weapon charge and four misdemeanors.

William Brock "was in an evacuated, restricted area and was identifying himself as a firefighter," Deputy District Attorney Cal Logan told Judge David Brown.

Brock, who has never been employed as a firefighter, drove past barricades on Live Oak Park Road in an older-model pickup truck on Oct. 24 and laid hoses across roadways, which impeded the movement of firefighters, Logan alleged.

The felony charge brought against Brock -- which carries a maximum penalty of three years in state prison -- stems from having "a law enforcement-type baton," according to the prosecutor.

Brock is also charged with fraudulent impersonation of a firefighter, unauthorized entry of a closed disaster area, interfering with firefighters and giving false information to a peace officer -- all misdemeanors.

Sheriff's Capt. Ed Prendergast said that Brock, when arrested, was clad in a shirt that said "firefighter," carried a badge and had a patch and name tag from the Morongo Valley Fire Department.

He was on probation in Los Angeles County for drug violations, the captain said.

The judge set bail at $250,000 and scheduled a readiness conference for Nov. 8.