According to OSP Senior Trooper Mark McDougal, on September 8, 2011 at approximately 6:40 p.m. two separate motorists traveling along Highway 6 near milepost 34 saw smoke coming from down a nearby gravel logging road. The two men identified as KEVIN RANDLES, age 22, from Beaverton, and MITCHELL ESPINOZA, age 24, from Scappoose, drove up the road and spotted an abandoned vehicle on fire starting to spread into some brush and adjacent wood.
Using water and dirt, the two men worked together to extinguish the flames. Responding fire personnel from Banks Fire Department and Oregon Department of Forestry told McDougal that the two men probably averted a potential forest fire if the vehicle wasn’t found and flames had continued to spread.
Oregon State Police (OSP) is asking for the public’s help to identify the person(s) responsible for setting the vehicle fire. McDougal confirmed the vehicle is an abandoned stolen vehicle. Anyone with information regarding this investigation is asked to contact Senior Trooper McDougal at 503-647-7631 ext. 433.
Kevin Weeks
Oregon Department of Forestry