Man Arrested For Starting Wildfire With Molotov Cocktail, Gets Released From Jail, Starts 6 More Fires: Police

 

A man who was arrested in Oregon after allegedly using a Molotov cocktail to start a wildfire was later released from jail but rearrested less than 24 hours later for allegedly starting six more small fires. 

Domingo Lopez Jr., 45, was arrested after using a Molotov cocktail “to start a small brush fire,” the Portland Police Bureau said in a statement Monday. 

As reported by the New York Post, Lopez Jr. was booked into jail Sunday evening on charges of “reckless burning and second-degree disorderly conduct” and released later that night. 

“The alleged arson comes as Oregon is one of the worst hit by wildfires devastating the West Coast, with at least 10 dead in the Beaver State,” the Post notes. The Portland Police Bureau later reported that the same suspect was arrested just hours later for allegedly starting more fires after being released from jail. 

“On Monday, September 14, 2020, at 3:37a.m., East Precinct officers were dispatched with Portland Fire and Rescue to a report of multiple fires burning along the west side of the I-205 freeway,” the Portland Police Bureau said in a separate statement. 

“Portland Fire and Rescue extinguished three of them while passing community members put out the other three. All were caught early. No one was injured and no structures were burnt. 

Officers located Domingo Lopez, Junior walking along the shoulder and arrested him. They seized a lighter as evidence.” The suspect was cited six additional times on counts of Reckless Burning and was transported to a hospital for a mental health evaluation.