On September 2, 2017, OSP Fish & Wildlife sergeant was patrolling Roman Nose Mountain in the North Fork Smith River area, when he noticed a suspicious vehicle drive by him at a higher than normal speed. Approximately, ten miles down the road and half an hour later, the sergeant came upon a structure fire in an unoccupied building in a remote area of the North Fork Smith River. An off-duty forester, who also had just happened upon the scene, assisted the sergeant in taking action. The two forced entry through the gate of the property, put out a spot fire from embers that had crossed the river, and started building hand lines. Western Lane Fire Protection District employees responded with a helicopter and about half a dozen fire trucks and quickly extinguished the fire before it could spread further into the forest.
A follow-up investigation by an Oregon State Police arson detective led to charges being filed on three men. It was later determined that these three men where the same in the suspicious vehicle that had passed the sergeant.
Elijah James Peterson (18-yoa): Arson 1, Burglary II, Criminal Mischief I
David Gilbert McCoy Jr (24-yoa): Burglary II, Criminal Mischief I
Lucas Charles Reed (21-yoa): Criminal Trespass I
Photos are courtesy of Facebook
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