MALHEUR County, Ore., Sept. 13, 2017 (Gephardt Daily) — A Salt Lake City man has been booked into Oregon’s Malheur (Ore.) County Jail after Oregon State Police investigators found evidence connecting him with multiple wildfires in the northwest.
Christopher Glen Wilson, 37, is charged with three counts of arson and one count of use of an unauthorized vehicle, which officials say was stolen.
On Aug. 29, officials began investigating four wildland fires along U.S. Route 97, between the areas of Lava River Cave and mile post 180 South of La Pine, Ore. Three of the fires were confined to less than two acres, and the fourth fire, later called McKay Fire, grew to about 1,219 acres, according to a Facebook post from the Oregon State Police.
“Through a collaborative law enforcement effort and information obtained from the public, a suspect was developed,” the post says. “The suspect was located by OSP Troopers on September 3, 2017 as he entered Oregon on Interstate 84 near Ontario driving a stolen 2016 Hyundai Sonata (blue in color with California plates).”
Wilson was booked into the Malheur County Jail on the unauthorized use of a vehicle charge. On Friday, he was indicted by a Deschutes County (Ore.) grand jury on three counts of arson in the first degree and reckless endangerment.
“It is possible Wilson may be responsible for other fires in the northwest,” the Oregon State Police statement says. “OSP is seeking the public’s assistance if they have any information on Wilson or saw the vehicle he was driving (distinct sticker in the back window) in any areas known to have wildland fires to call OSP at 503-375-3555.”
