ARIZONA, USA — A man was arrested by the Coconino County Sheriff's Office after allegedly attempting to start a wildland fire with a lighter, deputies said.
Deputies responded to calls of a wildland fire on Friday and interviewed a witness at the scene. The witness said they had seen a fire in the forested area while driving along the highway and headed towards the scene to try and put it out.
The witness also told deputies that they had seen a suspicious person near where the fire started. Fire resources were able to put the fire out after it burned around 30 feet of land.
Not long after the interview, an Arizona Department of Public Safety trooper arrived and detained the suspicious person the witness described, deputies said. The man was identified as 29-year-old Adam Gilliam from Oregon.
Gilliam reportedly admitted to starting the fire with a lighter he had on him to deputies. He was arrested and booked for illegal burning of wildland and refusing to provide a truthful name, deputies said.
No further information was given by police on the motive behind the burning.
12 News on YouTube
Go beyond the TV broadcast and learn more about unique Arizona stories on the 12 News YouTube channel. Subscribe for more digital-exclusive content!
