Man, youths arrested in alleged arson case

BEVERLY – Two Beverly youths and a man were arrested after allegedly setting fire to two buildings June 20 in Beverly.

Grant County Fire District No. 10 firefighters were called to the property behind the Outpost Grocery at around 7:18 a.m. for an abandoned building on fire. While battling that blaze, firefighters noticed a second nearby unoccupied building on fire and three people running away. ?

Firefighters followed the three to a nearby home. After being interviewed by investigators from the sheriff’s office and the Grant County Fire Marshal’s Office, 21-year-old Jeremy Ocampo was arrested, along with a 16-year-old boy and 16-year-old girl.

Ocampo was taken to the Grant County Jail. The boy and girl were taken to the Grant County Youth Services Facility in Ephrata. Each faces charges of two counts of second degree arson in connection with the fires. ?

The first building, a cinder block structure, which was damaged by a long-ago fire, was destroyed. The second cinder block structure was damaged. No one was hurt. ?

“Attentiveness by responders and investigators helped capture the suspects,” Sheriff Tom Jones said.