Terrebonne man accused of starting shed fire, stealing alpaca ranch vehicle, crashing into fences

TERREBONNE, Ore. (KTVZ) – A Terrebonne man was arrested Monday evening on DUII, criminal mischief and other charges, accused of accidentally starting a fire that destroyed a shed he lived in, then stealing an alpaca ranch’s vehicle and crashing into fences and a gate, Deschutes County sheriff’s deputies said.

Deputies were dispatched shortly before 5 p.m. to the reported shed fire in the 1400 block of E Avenue in Terrebonne, Sergeant Jason Wall said. Witnesses said a man started a fire in a shed, followed by the sound of a large explosion and smoke coming from the fully engulfed shed.

As deputies arrived on the scene, someone else called 911 dispatchers to report a barefoot man at a nearby hardware store with no shoes and rambling incoherently, Wall said.

Minutes later, another 911 caller reported the same man had jumped the fence in the Crescent Moon Alpaca Ranch. Wall said the ranch called 911 to report the man had stolen a ranch vehicle and was driving recklessly through the fields, crashing into fences and a gate before driving onto Highway 97.

Deputies and Oregon State Police troopers rushed to the area to find the stolen vehicle. The 35-year-old man drove the stolen ranch vehicle to the area of the shed fire and stopped. Wall said Deputy Witherspoon and his K-9 partner Vinnie helped take the man into custody “without incident or injury.”

He was taken to the county jail in Bend and booked on charges of DUII, unauthorized use of a vehicle, three counts of first-degree criminal mischief, two counts of reckless driving and six counts of recklessly endangering another person.

Wall said he told deputies he was living in the shed, and fire personnel supported his statement that the fire was accidental.