MOAB — A 48-year-old man allegedly walking to Salt Lake City is accused of setting several grass fires near the Utah-Colorado border.
Randy Alan Toney was charged Wednesday in 7th District Court with nine counts of arson, a third-degree felony.
On Saturday, just before 3 a.m., Grand County emergency dispatchers received reports of a grass fire off I-70 near the Colorado border.
"When I arrived on scene, I observed four fires. One in the median, and three on the (mile marker) 221 eastbound off-ramp," the arresting trooper wrote in charging documents.
As fire crews extinguished the four fires, two more were found in the median about a mile away.
"While still on the off-ramp, I observed a fire west of my location and responded toward it. While responding (to) this fire, Price dispatch advised me that a 911 (caller) had reported a male hiding (in) the weeds near the 221 overpass," the charges state.
The trooper responded to the area, and another witness pointed out a man who was running along the shoulder of the freeway, according to the charges.
"When I made contact with Toney, his pants were actively smoking," the charges state.
Investigators determined that a total of nine fires were set, "endangering the lives of all persons traveling through the area," according to the charges.
Police say Toney "is currently experiencing homelessness, and was traveling to Salt Lake City on foot."
There was no report of structures damaged or people injured by the fires.
