Wasco County Sheriff Lane Magill corrects misinformation regarding male subject, fires

Deputies determined the man started the fires by discarding a cigarette, Magill said. The man was arrested on charges of reckless burning, a Class A misdemeanor, and second-degree criminal trespass, a Class C misdemeanor. Both of those charges require being booked and released under SB 48, a law passed by the Oregon Legislature that took effect in 2022, Magill said.

That law lists about 170 crimes where defendants must be released without being required to post bail, he said, and the actions did not warrant an arson charge, which requires elements such as buildings being targeted. He said in a press release that deputies “arrested the suspect for crimes we had probable cause to arrest for and the case has now been forwarded to the District Attorney’s office.”

Later that day, at around 4 p.m. and then again at 6:30 p.m., deputies were again called on the man, who had returned twice to the same general area, Magill said.

Magill said he was not aware at this time of any reasons why the man would have kept returning to the area.

Deputies couldn’t find him the first time. The second time they did find him, and returned him to his home in The Dalles. He was not arrested that time since he was not on private property, Magill said.

He corrected several pieces of misinformation: The man was not armed, he wasn’t arrested and released three times, and there was no hostage situation.

The man also didn’t have numerous police contacts before. He actually didn’t have any in the sheriff’s office system. Magill did say that there is a man with a very similar name — the first and second names are the same, and the last name is just one letter off — who is 12 years older and who has been arrested before.

Deputies responded to a fourth call regarding the man later that night, at 10:30 p.m., just outside The Dalles city limits.

A woman who lives near the man’s home said he entered her home uninvited, and was “saying a lot of things and it scared her kids,” according to police logs. Her husband was able to get the man out of their house. She said they’d previously ended an acquaintance with the man because he acts “weird” when he drinks, according to police logs.

They did not want to pursue charges, Magill said.

As to comments made regarding the man’s immigration status, Magill said deputies did not check his status, since Oregon law officers are not allowed to pursue or act on that information.

The man did not return to the area after the series of contacts that day.

Magill said he has offered to talk to the neighbors in the area, around where the man was seen so they could address any concerns directly with him.

He thanked neighbors for acting quickly, being good witnesses and for getting fire crews on scene quickly. He asked anyone with questions to call him at 541-506-2580.