A 25-year-old man is behind bars after Jefferson County deputies say they found him near a burning patch of brush along State Highway 74 on Monday afternoon. Fire crews knocked down the flames close to mile marker 16, and deputies detained the man at the scene.
What deputies say
Deputies were dispatched around 4:25 p.m. Monday after a flurry of 911 calls from drivers reporting a man standing over a fire near mile marker 16 on State Highway 74, according to the Denver Gazette. When they arrived, officers found an active brush fire burning in a ravine south of the highway and quickly located a suspect who matched the description provided by witnesses.
At the scene
Before fire crews could get into position, one deputy grabbed a fire extinguisher and used it to slow the flames, buying time until firefighters arrived, as reported by KKTV. Investigators later recovered a lighter near where they believe the fire started.
Deputies identified the suspect as 25-year-old Royce Ben Jameson of New Mexico. He was taken into custody and, as of Tuesday, was being held at the Jefferson County Detention Center on a $5,000 cash or surety bond, authorities said.
Fire danger and restrictions
The arrest comes at a tense moment due to fire danger in the area. Unincorporated Jefferson County is currently under Stage 1 fire restrictions and a National Weather Service Red Flag Warning, according to the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office. The sheriff’s fire-restrictions page lists what is off-limits during Stage 1, including open burning, campfires, and most outdoor smoking, and urges residents to call 911 if they see smoke and to take extra care around homes and properties.
Charges and next steps
Jameson faces charges of firing woods or prairie and third-degree criminal trespass, and the case remains under investigation, the Gazette reports. Officials say the case will continue to move through the sheriff’s office and detention center while investigators finish their work.
Anyone who saw the fire or has video is asked to contact the sheriff’s office through its non-emergency line or by submitting tips online. Emergencies should still be reported to 911. Contact numbers and the county’s fire hotline are listed on the sheriff’s wildfire information page at the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office.
