Arson suspect behind bars

A 22-year-old transient was arrested Saturday at about 7:15am on arson charges.

Police officers and firefighters responded to the meadow behind the residential subdivision of Pioneer Village, east of Al Tahoe Boulevard, in South Lake Tahoe after a resident reported a suspicious fire.

Luke Dons

Emergency personnel found an uncontrolled fire approximately 10-feet-square, with 1-foot-high flames. The fire was burning in a wooded and brushy area, only 100 feet from the houses adjacent to the meadow.

Luke Dons, sleeping on the ground about 20 feet away, confessed to starting the fire, without explaining any reason why, according to Officer Matt Morrison.

The fire caused no damage to private property.

Dons was booked into the El Dorado County Jail on $40,000 bail.