A Sweet Home man was arrested last week after he allegedly set a fire that destroyed a neighbor’s SUV and damaged another vehicle belonging to that neighbor, police said.
Sweet Home Fire and Ambulance District personnel and Sweet Home police responded to a report of a vehicle fire at approximately 11:30 p.m. Monday, Aug. 8, in the 5600 block of Larch Street in Sweet Home.
According to police Sgt. Jason Ogden, when the responders arrived they found a 1995 Chevrolet Blazer in flames. The Blazer was unoccupied, but was a total loss, Ogden said.
During the subsequent investigation, officers learned that another vehicle belonging to the same owner, a 2005 Nissan Quest, had significant damage. Investigators learned that Jeffrey Franklin Zeig-ler, 59, who lives near the location where the fire occurred, had been involved in a neighborhood dispute with the vehicles’ owner.
Investigators “obtained evidence that Jeffrey Zeigler was responsible for the fire and damage to the other nearby vehicle,” Ogden said.
Zeigler was arrested early in the morning of Tuesday, Aug. 9, and charged with first-degree arson and criminal mischief and was transported to Linn County Jail.