32-count indictment returned against man accused of arson, criminal mischief in fire set in southern

32-count indictment returned against man accused of arson, criminal mischief in fire set in southern Oregon


A 41-year-old man accused of lighting a fire near railroad tracks behind a home in Phoenix last week has been indicted on 32 criminal charges, including two counts of arson.

A Jackson County grand jury on Tuesday returned the indictment against Michael Jarrod Bakkela, charging him with two counts of first-degree arson, 15 counts of first-degree criminal mischief, 14 counts of recklessly endangering another and one count of unlawful possession of methamphetamine.

Bakkela is accused of setting a fire in the area of Quail Lane and Barnum Drive on the night of Sept. 8 that damaged 15 properties, threatened the lives of 14 people in nearby neighborhoods between Phoenix and Medford and contributed to the Almeda fire that ravaged the area, according to the sheriff’s office.

Bakkela is being held on an enhanced bail of $5 million and is set to be arraigned on the indictment Wednesday in Jackson County Circuit Court, according to court records.

Read more: https://www.oregonlive.com/crime/2020/09/32-count-indictment-returned-against-man-accused-of-arson-criminal-mischief-in-fire-set-in-southern-oregon.html