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Arson suspect arrested

After months of careful work which included numerous interviews and search warrants, a law enforcement team of Washington County Sheriff’s Office (WCSO) detectives along with deputy fire marshals with Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue (TVFR) identified John Michael Townsend as the arsonist who set fires at two THPRD locations in Cedar Mill in April and May 2015.

He was arrested on December 31 at THPRD's Howard M. Terpenning Recreation Complex. He was lodged in Washington County Jail on $250,000 bail and arraigned on the charges on January 4. Following his arraignment, he posted bail and was released from custody.

No information is available about a possible motive for the fires. Detectives ask anyone with any information about this case to please call the Washington County Sheriff’s Office at 503-846-2500.

At the time the fires were set, and up to the day of his arrest, Townsend was a THPRD Park Security employee. THPRD spokesman Bob Wayt says, “We take pride in hiring excellent people and have done so thousands of times in our 60-year history. Our people conduct themselves in a professional, law-abiding manner every day. We will continue to place emphasis on employees who uphold that standard.”

Mike Janin, Superintendent of Security Operations for THPRD, discussed what the district looks for in hiring security personnel. “Our usual candidate is college age, studying Administration of Justice at a local community college or enrolled at PSU. They usually have already shown an interest working in law enforcement, as most hires in the last nine years have done, or are involved in either the Washington County Sheriff's Explorer or Search and Rescue Program, or as a Hillsboro or Beaverton police cadet. Many are hired as a sheriff's deputy reserve or police reserve while working at THPRD.”

Janin continued, “Park Patrol has proven to be an outstanding training ground for young people who aspire to be police officers. In fact, Park Patrol employees have been hired by numerous local agencies, including the Beaverton and Hillsboro police departments, Washington County Sheriff's Office, and Washington County Jail. They provide excellent service to our community, as evidenced by the high number of commendations we receive about the way they handle themselves.”

Saltzman Road house burning. It was slated for demolition before the blaze.

“In John Townsend's case, he got along fine with his co-workers, and the two evaluations he received while working here the past two years were exemplary.”

Park Patrol employees have a variety of duties, including regular visits to many district parks, trails, and facilities, where they remind visitors about park rules and keep an eye out for problems. In addition, the Security Office on the grounds of the Terpenning Complex gets dozens of calls daily from park neighbors and others reporting problems ranging from suspected gang activity to loose dogs. Patrol members respond to those calls when appropriate, and can also ask for help from other public safety agencies.

The house that was burned at the NE Park was demolished shortly after the fires. Janin said, “There was no value to the structure as it was slated for demolition. We determined that to immediately move forward to get the house demolished was the smarter move, instead of putting money into the cost of boarding up several potential entrances.  It had already been determined that it was uninhabitable due to dry rot.”

The house on 114th St. is slated for demolition in the spring. That property and the forested lot next door will eventually become an expansion of Foege Park, and will provide the missing piece for a loop trail to connect to the Timberland parks.

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