An Ignacio man suspected of starting multiple wildfires on at least four occasions has been charged with five counts of felony arson.
The charges were filed last week in 6th Judicial District Court in Durango.
Elijah Rugg, 25, was arrested June 15 on suspicion of starting seven fires in unincorporated parts of La Plata County, southwest of Durango. He is also suspected of starting fires on three previous occasions: three weeks earlier (four fires), June 12 (two fires) and June 14 (three fires), according to an arrest affidavit.
Southwest Colorado was listed in extreme or exceptional drought at the time of the fires. None of the fires grew larger than 1 acre in size, and no structures were burned.
According to the arrest affidavit, an officer with the Southern Ute Police Department contacted Rugg on two previous occasions in the vicinity of brush fires that had been set. He was also seen in the vicinity of the most recent fires on June 15, according to the affidavit.
A fire marshal with the Los Pinos Fire Protection District reported finding a gas can hidden in a tree at a previous fire scene. An almost identical gas can was found in the back of Rugg’s vehicle the night of the most recent fires, unusual because both gas cans were a Midwest brand, according to the affidavit.
Firefighters located pour patterns at one of the fires, indicating it had been started with an accelerant. They also found toilet paper rolls that had been soaked in motor oil, lit on fire and tossed into the vegetation.
A sheriff’s deputy contacted Rugg, who initially denied any involvement in setting the fires. Rugg gave deputies permission to search his vehicle, and allowed them to collect clothing he had been wearing, according to the affidavit. A deputy took Rugg to his house to collect new clothes.
A search of his vehicle found lighters and a magnesium fire starter, according to the affidavit.
“When asked about the items, Rugg said he wanted to start smoking again, but just hadn’t,” the affidavit said.
He said the magnesium fire starter was used when he and his fiancee went camping.
Deputies asked Rugg about the matching gas cans and said they didn’t feel like Rugg was being forthcoming. After a pause – about a minute long – Rugg said he “(expletive) up,” according to the affidavit. He went on to say he suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder and blacks out during PTSD episodes. He admitted to setting fires on County Road 310, but didn’t know if he set the fires on County Road 319.
When asked if he set the fires earlier that night, “He shook his head up and down, admitting he had started the fires,” the affidavit said.
Rugg was then arrested and booked into the La Plata County Jail, where he was being held Monday on $1,000 bail.
His next court hearing is set for Wednesday. The hearing is a preliminary demand, at which defendants can request a preliminary hearing. At a preliminary hearing, prosecutors must present sufficient evidence to show a crime was committed and that the defendant is likely connected to it.
shane@durangoherald.com
