Man charged with arson in fire at Washington Elementary School
A Salem man faces felony arson charges after investigators say he lit a fire on the outside wall of Washington Elementary School in northeast Salem on July 9.
Javier J. Venegas-Quinones, 27, was charged July 11 with first-degree arson in Marion County Circuit Court.
School surveillance captured video and still images of a man lighting a towel on fire and placing it at the southeast corner of the school, located at 3165 Lansing Ave. N.E.
The fire began around 6:45 p.m. From the corner of the building, it climbed up the wall and spread to the brick building’s plywood framing, according to a probable cause affidavit.
Firefighters were initially called to a grass fire at the school, to find the deliberately set building fire. Responders quickly extinguished it, and the fire did not spread beyond the wall.
Firefighters cut a hole in the school’s ceiling to assess the damage, according to Brian Carrara, Salem Fire Department deputy chief of administrative services.
Investigators used surveillance video to identify Venegas-Quinones.
“The school has relatively amazing cameras,” Carrera said.
The next day at around 8:45 p.m., a police sergeant saw Venegas-Quinones walking about a block away from the school, wearing the same shirt as in the video. He was arrested, and in a police interview stated he did not see or remember anything about the fire.
The damage will cost between $18,000 and $24,000 to repair said Emily Reverman, Salem-Keizer Public Schools spokeswoman in an email Thursday. She said repairs are currently underway, and should be done before students and staff return for school.
Court records show Venegas-Quinones was also charged July 11 with two counts of criminal mischief. He is accused of damaging a vehicle on June 30.
In 2022, he pleaded guilty to misdemeanor criminal mischief charges for damaging property at Briarwood Apartments in northeast Salem.
He remained in the Marion County Jail as of Thursday on a $40,000 bond.
Contact reporter Abbey McDonald: [email protected] or 503-575-1251
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Abbey McDonald joined the Salem Reporter in 2022. She previously worked as the business reporter at The Astorian, where she covered labor issues, health care and social services. A University of Oregon grad, she has also reported for the Malheur Enterprise, The News-Review and Willamette Week.
