Man charged with arson following early morning fire

The incident began shortly after midnight, when an intoxicated man was reported “breaking things and yelling” during a domestic dispute. Investigating officers noted in their incident report the man and woman had separated, but the man would not answer the door and the woman was “not cooperative.”

Three hours later, around 3 a.m., a vehicle and structure fire were reported at the same address, a single building divided into thirds. The reporting person stated the fire had been set by the suspect of the earlier dispute, according to police reports.

Mid-Columbia Fire and Rescue crews were dispatched to “a structure fire with entrapment,” according to a statement from MCFR. “The first engine and fire medic crews arrived, entered the burning structure to conduct a primary search, and rescued the person still inside the structure,” the statement said.

The Dalles resident David John Daniels, 66, was arrested and lodged at the regional jail. He faces charges of first-degree arson, a felony; two counts of reckless burning, misdemeanor; three counts of recklessly endangering another, misdemeanor; felony parole violation; and felony failure to register as a sex offender.

Following the fire, a City of The Dalles patrol officer provided security at the property until the arrival of a team from the Oregon State Fire Marshal’s office, which is investigating the alleged arson. Investigation of the fire was ongoing Tuesday afternoon.