Crook County motor home fire investigated as arson

A motor home apparently stolen overnight in Culver was found burning northwest of Prineville Sunday morning, prompting Crook County sheriff’s deputies to investigate it as arson and call in an Oregon State Police arson detective.

Deputies responded shortly before 11 a.m. to the reported motor home fire in the area of Northwest Lamonta and Grimes roads, said Deputy Jake Childers.

Witnesses jogging in the area saw smoke coming from the motor home and ran to it to see if anyone was inside who needed to get out. Due to the extreme heat, they were unable to enter the motor home.

Deputies arrived to find the motor home engulfed in flames, “suspiciously parked along an irrigation canal north of Grimes Road,” the deputy said.

Crook County Fire and Rescue crews arrived a short time later and quickly extinguished the blaze to prevent its spread to a nearby unoccupied home and agricultural fields. They also determined the motor home was unoccupied

An OSP trooper also responded and helped deputies secure the scene. A deputy checked the license plate and determined it was registered to a Culver address, learning it likely had been stolen during the night.

Childers said further investigation and interviews led to a nearby resident who had seen the motor home being driven and parked in the spot where it caught fire about 30-45 minutes before the initial 911 call.

As the investigation continues, anyone with information about the case was urged to contact the sheriff’s office at 541-447-6398.