BEND, Ore. - A Utah man accused of setting three small wildfires in central Oregon will be prosecuted first in Malheur County before facing arson charges in Deschutes County.
The Bend Bulletin reports that Christopher Wilson, of Salt Lake City, has a plea hearing Dec. 1 on charges of possession of a stolen vehicle.
He was also indicted Sept. 8 by a Deschutes County grand jury on three counts of arson and one count reckless endangerment.
Court records say the indictment involves three fires started in August; two along U.S. Highway 97, and one east of La Pine, Oregon. The largest burned about 2 square miles acres near La Pine.
Oregon state troopers arrested Wilson Sept. 3 near the Idaho border after spotting him driving a rental car that had been reported stolen by the company.
Wilson is in Malheur County Jail.
