Warrant Issued for Fire 'Gawker' After No-Show in Court

The San Mateo County Superior Court has issued a warrant for the man accused of following the Sept. 9, 2010, pipeline explosion after he failed to appear in court Tuesday.

Paul Anthony Lee, 35, of Millbrae was supposed to appear in the Redwood City Hall of Justice so that a date could be set for his pending trial for charges he faces in connection to the explosion.

As a result of his failure to appear in court, the court forfeited his $50,000 bail and issued a new bench warrant with bail set at $150,000.

According to authorities, Lee was riding a motorcycle with a female passenger when he was confronted by San Bruno police amid suspicious circumstances on a perimeter police established to prevent looters in the early morning hours of Sept. 10. He fled the scene when police demanded that he produce identification.

At the time of his arrest, Lee was on probation after serving 2 ½ years in 2005 for attempted kidnapping and two years for possession of a controlled substance in 2009.