Madera County Authorities Arrest Man in Connection with Series of Arsons on Deadwood Mountain
The Madera County Sheriff’s Office, in coordination with CALFIRE Madera Mariposa Merced Unit, has reportedly arrested a suspect in connection with a series of arsons on Deadwood Mountain.
In a press release, the Sheriff’s Office reported that the suspect, whom they identified as Pao Xiong, 68, of Oakhurst, was taken into custody on Aug. 22 at a residence on the 1600 block of South Bush Avenue in Fresno.
Xiong reportedly faces fourteen felony counts of arson.
The investigation began on the night of July 19 when CALFIRE MMU and units from the Madera County Sheriff’s Office responded to a fire on Deadwood Mountain, which overlooks the town of Oakhurst, the Sheriff’s Office said.
Officials were able to suppress the fire, and the subsequent investigation into the fire’s origin led authorities to Xiong, who reportedly lived on the property where the fire had started.
The fires resulted in the burning of 11 acres of land and four structures across 14 separate locations on the same day.
Following the initial investigation, the Madera County Sheriff’s Special Enforcement Team and the Madera County Narcotic Enforcement Team assigned detectives to assist in the identification of the individual responsible. As evidence was analyzed, Xiong was identified as the primary person of interest.
After initially placing him under surveillance, authorities ultimately arrested Xiong and booked him at the Madera County jail.
