Suspect in arson fires arrested

by The Associated Press and The Daily Inter Lake
| June 26, 2012 7:00 AM

Officials in Lake County have arrested a St. Ignatius man suspected in a string of recent fires in St. Ignatius and Pablo.

Chase Kuntz, 19, is charged with one count of arson for a fire that destroyed a log cabin east of St. Ignatius on June 5.

Prosecutors say Kuntz is a person of interest in several other structure fires, including a June 2 fire that destroyed the 110-year-old former Beckwith Mercantile building — the second oldest building in St. Ignatius.

The same day the mercantile building burned, a separate fire burned a business in downtown St. Ignatius.

According to the Lake County Sheriff’s Office, at least eight fires in the Pablo and St. Ignatius areas in May and early June were ruled suspicious.

Detectives are following several other leads and still are asking for tips.

Anyone with information about the fires is asked to contact Lake County Crimestoppers at (888) 883-7309. Callers may remain anonymous and may be eligible for a reward.