Authorities say a Warr Acres man is behind a string of grass fires that had folks outside Cheyenne on edge earlier this year. Investigators arrested Nolan Chad Hayden Eagleston and charged him with three counts of third-degree arson tied to three separate blazes reported in early March that prosecutors say threatened at least one home.
According to KECO 96.5FM, the Roger Mills County Sheriff’s Office identified Eagleston following a joint investigation that pulled in help from the U.S. Forest Service, the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Roger Mills County Emergency Management, the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, the Warr Acres Police Department and the District 2 office of District Attorney Angela Marsee. Officials have not laid out detailed evidence or given a timetable for upcoming court dates, and Eagleston remains presumed innocent unless and until he is proven guilty in court.
The fires were first reported in early March in areas west and northwest of Cheyenne, where crews scrambled to knock down fast-moving flames. Local coverage at the time said the burns scorched more than 100 acres and briefly put a residence at risk. KOCO 5 quoted Sheriff Darren Atha saying investigators believed the fires were intentionally set and asked residents to review any home surveillance footage for suspicious activity. When that March report aired, authorities had not yet publicly named a suspect.
Charges and penalties
Eagleston faces three counts of third-degree arson, an offense that Oklahoma law classifies as a Class C1 felony and one that can come with stiff fines and prison time if there is a conviction. According to Justia, Oklahoma statute 21 O.S. § 1403 defines third-degree arson to include willfully setting fire to property such as pasture or standing crops and references penalties that can include fines up to $10,000 along with confinement under state sentencing rules. Prosecutors in District 2 are set to handle the case in district court, although officials have not yet listed an arraignment date on public dockets.
Investigators ask public for tips
Law enforcement agencies describe the case as a team effort and are still asking people in the Cheyenne area to help fill in gaps. Investigators want residents to comb through doorbell video, trail cameras and any other recordings from early March that might show vehicles or people near the burn sites. KOCO 5 reported Sheriff Atha urging anyone with information or vehicle descriptions to contact the Roger Mills County Sheriff’s Office. Officials have not released a full damage tally or said whether anyone was hurt.
The arrest is the biggest development so far in an investigation that started with those March grass fires and grew to involve both state and federal partners. Court records and the district court docket are expected to list upcoming hearings once formal paperwork is filed. Until then, Eagleston remains legally presumed innocent, and investigators say they are still very interested in tips from anyone who might have seen something around the time the fires were set.
