Hayes Township Resident Arrested on Arson Charges

Clare County Sheriff Department release

At 2:58 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 25, Clare County Central Dispatch received a call reporting a possible vehicle on fire at the residence located at 5160 Fishing Site Road in Hayes Township.  The caller further reported seeing black smoke and hearing explosions in the area.  The Harrison Fire Department arrived on scene and observed several different fires burning in the yard.  They also observed a male subject attempting to start more fires.

The Harrison Fire Department contacted Central Dispatch and requested the Sheriff’s Department respond to the scene.  Upon arrival, deputies discovered Cameron Hill, the 36-year-old male homeowner had started several fires on his property.  Hill had lit on fire several vehicles, one he owned and two owned by a family member.  He had also started two sheds located on his property and the contents on fire.  Hill had used an accelerant, gasoline, inside his residence and lit the gas on fire in an attempt to burn down his house.  Hill was unsuccessful in his effort to completely burn the house.  However, the house did sustain damage from the fire and smoke.  The vehicles, sheds and the contents were destroyed by the fires.

Hill was arrested by the deputies and lodged in the Clare County Jail.  He was arraigned in the 80^th District Court on one count of second-degree arson and one count of third-degree arson. In Michigan, the crime of second-degree arson is when a subject willfully or maliciously burns, damages or destroys by fire a dwelling regardless of whether it is occupied or unoccupied by fire or explosion.  Third degree arson involves willfully burning, destroying, or damaging by fire or explosion any building or structure, or its contents having a value of $20,000 or more.  This applies regardless of whether the person owns the building, structure, other real property or its contents or the personal property. 

Bond for Hill was set at $100,000 with the acceptance of 10%.  Hill remains lodged in the Clare County Jail.  There were no injuries reported from the fire and Harrison Fire was able to extinguish several fires on the property.