The Orillia OPP say they have arrested and charged a local man with arson following a lengthy investigation into over 25 fires, which were intentionally set, in the Scout Valley area of the City of Orillia, and two in the Grant’s Woods area of Severn Township.
On Saturday, May 29, 2021, shortly after 8:30 a.m., OPP members observed the male suspect in the Old Barrie Road parking lot adjacent to Scout Valley. The male was subsequently arrested and transported to the OPP detachment for further investigation.
The Orillia crime unit, with the assistance of the Emergency Response Team (ERT), Regional Support Team (RST), Aviation, uniform members, the Orillia Fire Department and Severn Fire Services, had overseen the investigation into over 25 small fires, deliberately set to trees and stumps, in the Scout Valley area since the fall of 2020. Two additional fires, in the Grant’s Woods area, were also encompassed in the investigation.
As a result, a 37 year old male, from Orillia, has been charged with two counts of Arson – Damage to property, and has been released on a Form 10 Undertaking with a court date of June 13, 2021, at the Ontario Court of Justice, Orillia.
The OPP would like to thank those members of the public that assisted by reporting and providing information to our fire services and police. Due to your diligence, no one was injured and no significant damage was caused as a result of any of the reported incidents.
The name of the male was not released.