PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — A Rainier man was arrested Friday after allegedly starting a series of fires in Oregon and Southwest Washington, Cowlitz County officials say.
The incidents began Friday morning between 6:59 and 7:55 a.m. when the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office reported receiving reports of multiple suspicious fires near Rainier, Oregon. Witnesses at the scene reportedly saw a white Chevrolet S-10 truck with a matching canopy leaving the area of some incidents.
Then, between 10:16 and 11:20 a.m., the Cowlitz County Sheriff’s Office in Washington says they received calls for fires at four locations. The locations included a detached garage, a pole barn, a residence, and a car that someone had reportedly attempted to burn.
Witnesses at two of the fires reported seeing a white S-10 truck with a matching canopy leaving the scenes of the fires.
At the scene of the attempted car burning, a burning stick was allegedly found in the wheel well of the car. A witness to the scene reportedly provided video of the suspect leaving the scene to Longview Police.
Longview Police report finding a vehicle matching the description in Longview.
The driver of the car was Brian E. Good, 47, authorities said. Officers who responded to the scene reported that he smelled of smoke and was carrying a gas can and sticks in the back of his truck.
Investigation revealed that Good’s residence was reportedly the location of one of the fires in Columbia County that morning. Detectives also revealed that a female resident at the location of the residence fire in Cowlitz County was previously in a relationship with Good and she reported that Good had been stalking her.
It also came to light that the location of the attempted car fire was a previous residence of the female resident.
The damage to the victims’ properties was reportedly significant, including the total loss of a detached shop and carport that had a boat and several vehicles, and posed threats to multiple other residences.
No injuries were reported at any of the scenes.
Brian Good was booked into Cowlitz County jail and is being charged with three counts of Arson 1st Degree and Attempted Arson 1st Degree.
The Columbia County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the reported fires in Rainier, and the four incidents in Cowlitz County are being investigated by the Sheriff’s Office and Longview Police.
Authorities ask anyone with information about these incidents to contact Detective Jason Hammer with the Sheriff’s Office or Detective Trevyn Delapp with the Longview Police Department.