February 1, 2021 3:20 a.m.

A Marion County man was arrested in an unusual case, and is being accused of burning his neighbor’s house, shortly after it was spared in the Beachie Creek Fire.

A release from the Oregon State Police said on September 14th the OSP Arson Section responded to home in Lyons to assist local law enforcement with an arson investigation.

On Friday, detectives arrested 48-year old William Hopson on charges of burglary, criminal trespass, arson, criminal mischief and reckless driving. Hopson is scheduled to be arraigned on Monday.

The release said an investigation revealed that on September 9th, two days after the initial Beachie Creek Fire burned through the communities of Detroit, Gates, Mill City and the Lyons areas, Hopson returned and intentionally set fire to his neighbor’s residence.

Both Hopson’s and the neighbor’s residence had not been damaged in the Beachie Creek Fire.