On Tuesday September 12, 2017, at 4:05 a.m., Central Precinct officers responded to the area near Northwest 16th Avenue and Northwest Johnson Street to assist Portland Fire and Rescue (PF&R) personnel in locating a suspect responsible for setting several dumpsters on fire.
While officers responded to the area, PF&R personnel provided a description of the suspect who had started the dumpster fires. Additional information was broadcast that PF&R had located and extinguished another fire near Northwest 13th Avenue and Northwest Lovejoy Street and that the suspect was last seen at Northwest 16th Avenue and Northwest Lovejoy Street after assaulting a person walking through the area.
Officers located the suspect on Northwest 16th Avenue south of Northwest Lovejoy Street, at which time the suspect began throwing rocks at officers. To decrease the likelihood of being struck by the rocks the suspect hurled through the air, officers positioned themselves a safe distance from the suspect. The suspect continued to throw rocks at officers. As the suspect threw rocks at officers he struck and broke the window of a police vehicle.
As the suspect continued to throw more rocks at officers, he started to light bushes on fire. Officers attempted to talk with the suspect and take him into custody; however, the suspect was uncooperative with the officers' instructions. Officers devised a plan to contact the suspect. The officers approached the suspect and took him into custody.
The suspect was transported to the Multnomah County Jail and has been identified as 58-year-old Marty C. Haines. Haines was charged with two counts of Attempt Assault in the Second Degree, three counts of Reckless Burning, one count each of Criminal Mischief in the Second Degree, Assault in the Fourth Degree, Resisting Arrest, and Attempt Assault on a Police Officer.
PF&R investigators will continue to investigate the dumpster fires. The person who was assaulted by Haines was treated by emergency medical personnel at the scene and was not transported to the hospital.