A 52-year-old man was arrested Saturday for allegedly lightning fires along Interstate 5 in Goshen, according to the Lane County Sheriff’s Office.
The man faces five counts of arson in the first degree, five counts of reckless burning, five counts of reckless endangering, disorderly conduct in the second degree and resisting arrest.
Dispatch received a report of the incident at 1 p.m. After deputies from the Oregon State Police responded, police said then came across the man actively lighting a fire on the shoulder of Franklin Boulevard. When contacted, he resisted arrest, officials said.
A cluster of small fires were reported in the area Saturday afternoon, burning about a half acre before being doused by firefighters.
Police said that in their investigation, they determined the man also had set a fire on Franklin Boulevard at Seavey Loop Road on Aug. 26. He was charged with arson in the first degree related to that fire, a news release said.
Zach Urness has been an outdoors reporter in Oregon for 16 years and is host of the Explore Oregon Podcast. Urness is the author of “Best Hikes with Kids: Oregon” and “Hiking Southern Oregon.” He can be reached at zurness@StatesmanJournal.com or (503) 399-6801. Find him on X at @ZachsORoutdoors.
This article originally appeared on Salem Statesman Journal: Man faces arson charges for lighting fires along I-5 south of Eugene
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