4 People Arrested for Arson Across West Coast Amid Wildfires
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Two people in Washington state, one in Oregon, and one in California have been arrested on arson charges as firefighters battle numerous wildfires throughout the West Coast.
1. Michael Jarrod Bakkela, 41, is accused of starting the Almeda Fire, said the Oregon State Fire Marshal’s Office, reported OregonLive. Bakkela was arrested on two counts of arson, 15 counts of criminal mischief, and 14 counts of reckless endangerment, officials said.
According to the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office in a statement, police arrived to find that “Bakkela was standing close to a very large fire threatening several homes.”
They also found that Bakkela was lodged on a probation violation detainer for possession of methamphetamine of more than two ounces. … he is a regular at Black Lives Matter and anti-police rallies in Seattle.
2. Authorities arrested two people in connection to fires in Washington state, identifying one as Jeffrey Alan Acord, who is accused of starting a fire along Highway 167.
3. Jacob Altona, 28, was arrested in connection to arson in Washington state near State Route 512 and State Route 7, officials said.
4. In California, Anita Esquivel, 37, was arrested for deliberately setting fires in California, said the California Highway Patrol, according to KION-TV.
The Monterey County District Attorney’s Office told KION that there is no evidence that Esquivel has a connection to Black Lives Matter or the far-left group Antifa.
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