Vancouver man arrested in alleged domestic violence arson

A Vancouver man reportedly in the midst of a break-up has been arrested in connection with a fire Friday at a home in Clark County’s Sunnyside neighborhood.

Timothy C. Meagher, 57, was taken into custody at a cabin in Cougar and booked into Clark County Jail on suspicion of domestic violence arson, according to a bulletin from the Clark County Sheriff’s Office.

Meagher was seen entering a house at 6208 N.E. Wilding Road about 12:45 p.m. an hour before a neighbor saw smoke coming from the eaves and called 911, the bulletin said.

Firefighters arriving at the house near Interstate 205 and Northeast St. Johns Road reported finding black smoke coming out of the attic window and fires burning in multiple spots on the first floor. No injuries were reported, but damage was estimated at $100,000, according to the CCSO bulletin.

Investigators with the Clark County Fire Marshal’s Office concluded the fires had been deliberately set using an accelerant, the bulletin said.

Meagher, who was seen leaving the house 20 minutes before the fire started, was located at a cabin in Cougar owned by his employer. The bulletin said Meagher did not have permission to be in the cabin, and a neighbor alerted authorities after noticing a suspicious vehicle parked in front of it.

The CCSO said investigators believe arson is related to the ending of a relationship between Meagher and the home’s owner, James L. Hanson, 52. Both men listed the house as their residence according to voter registration data from 2012.