A man faces nine felony arson charges after allegedly setting multiple fires along Interstate 7ly in eastern Grand County on June 6, according to court documents reported by Moab Times.
Details of Arson Charges
Randy Alan Toney, 43, was charged June 10 in 7th District Court with nine counts of arson on the property of another, all third-degree felonies.
Timeline of the Fires
According to court documents, a Utah Highway Patrol trooper responded to reports of a grass fire west of the Utah-Colorado border shortly before 3 a.m. on June 6. Upon arrival, the trooper discovered four fires burning near the roadway. While the Lower Valley Fire Department in Fruita, Colorado, extinguished those initial flames, additional fires were later found nearby, bringing the total number of separately ignited fires to nine.
Witness Accounts of Incident
During the incident, a 911 caller reported seeing a man hiding in weeds near an overpass, and another witness reported seeing a man running along the interstate shoulder away from a small fire.
Arrest and Evidence Found
A trooper later located Toney walking along the shoulder of the interstate. Court documents stated that Toney's pants were actively smoking when contact was made and investigators found a Bic lighter in his pocket. Investigators determined there was no evidence that embers from one fire ignited another, but noted the fires endangered travelers on the active interstate.
Suspect Background and Status
Toney, who was experiencing homelessness and traveling toward Salt Lake City on foot at the time of his arrest, was booked into the Grand County Jail.
Court Proceedings and Bail
A judge granted prosecutors' requests to hold Toney without bail, citing him as a flight risk and a danger to the community. Toney is scheduled for an initial appearance before Seventh District Court Judge Don Torgerson on June 16.
