A man was arrested on Sunday for intentionally setting a brush fire near Interstate 205 in Portland then, just hours after he was released, he was taken into custody again for lighting six more fires, according to Portland police.
Around 4:35 p.m., officers were sent to help Portland Fire & Rescue with a small blaze burning in a section of grass along the freeway near the 9600 block of East Burnside, officials said. The fire was quickly put out and no one was injured.
Domingo Lopez, 45
Identified as Antifa supporter.
Related Story: Antifa BLM Activist Domingo Lopez Jr. Arrested For Using A Molotov Cocktail To Start Brush Fire In Portland
From Portland Police. A suspect was arrested after using a Molotov Cocktail to start a small brush fire.
On Sunday, September 13, 2020 at 4:35p.m., East Precinct officers were dispatched to assist Portland Fire and Rescue with a brush fire in the 9600 block of East Burnside Street. Officers saw that a section of grass along the I-205 freeway was burning. Firefighters extinguished the fire. No one was injured and no structures were damaged.
About an hour later, East officers were flagged down by a witness who pointed out the suspect in a nearby tent. Officers arrested the suspect, who confirmed he lit the fire with the device.
Officers seized a plastic bottle with a wick as evidence.
Bottle found in grass at site of fire.
Officers booked Domingo Lopez Jr., 45, into the Multnomah County Detention Center on charges of Reckless Burning and Disorderly Conduct in the Second Degree. Arson investigators are also doing follow-up to see if other charges are warranted.
He was booked into the Multnomah County Detention Center on charges of reckless burning and disorderly conduct, but was released.
Around 3:30 a.m. Monday, officers were called to another report of fire in the same general area of Interstate 205. They found several small blazes and firefighters quickly put out several of them while bystanders from the community taking care of the rest.
No one was injured and no structures were damaged.
Lopez was found walking on the shoulder of the freeway a short time later and arrested, police said. He was taken to a local hospital for a mental health evaluation and charged with six more counts of reckless burning.
Despite at least three other arrests for arson around the state in recent weeks, authorities, including local police departments and the FBI, have said there is no evidence of widespread arson in relation to the massive wildfires that have burned in Oregon over the last week.
— Kale Williams
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