Man arrested after setting fires

A man associated with recent fires and disorderly conduct, Michael Eric Tavernier, age 38, has been arrested.

On October 8, there was a fire set in grass near the bike path in the 4000 block of River Road. Today a fire started around 4:30 a.m. and another around 9 a.m.in the W. 11th/Beltline area. In both cases, the Fire Marshal's Office was called out. Around 5:11 a.m., Eugene Police officers were dispatched to a reckless burning call that Eugene Springfield Fire responded to. There were two fires inside a trash bin at the LTD Commerce stop on W. 11th Avenue. Eugene Springfield Fire put out the fires. There was a third small fire of some trash set in a bush next to the bus stop.

ESF advised they had responded to brush fires with similar circumstances the previous day and made a request the incident be documented in a police report. Today, Tavernier was detained, and a Eugene Police Arson investigator worked with patrol officers who made the arrest of the suspect. There is no known ongoing threat. Tavernier was lodged at Lane County Jail on charges including three counts of Disorderly Conduct in the First Degree, Tampering with Physical Evidence, and two counts of Sex Offender Failure to Report.

If anyone has information regarding recent fires in the area of W. 11th Avenue from Bertelsen Road to Beltline. please contact Officer David Clark at [email protected]. Reference Case 24-15227