Man arrested for arson in Skylark Motel set to make court appearance
- Elizabeth Larson
- Posted On
LAKEPORT, Calif. – Authorities have arrested a Texas man for setting fire to a room at a Lakeport motel last week.
Timothy Cofer, 32, of Seagoville was arrested Friday evening shortly after the fire in a room at the Rodeway Inn & Suites Skylark Shores Resort at 1120 N. Main St.
Firefighters, police and sheriff’s deputies were dispatched to the scene shortly before 5:30 p.m. on the report of a disturbance and a fire.
Lakeport Fire Chief Doug Hutchison told Lake County News that within five minutes his firefighters were able to knock down the fire, which was contained to one room and didn’t stop the motel from continuing to operate. There were no injuries.
The Lakeport Police Department said in a report on the fire that the initial investigation by officers indicated that Cofer deliberately set the fire. He was subsequently arrested.
Chief Deputy District Attorney Rich Hinchcliff told Lake County News on Tuesday that he has charged Cofer with arson of an inhabited structure, a felony, which has a maximum sentence of six years if he’s convicted.
“When he was arrested he was acting very strangely,” said Hinchcliff.
Hinchcliff said Cofer was muttering about people trying to kidnap him.
It was discovered that Cofer was high on ecstasy, which led to the second charge against Cofer, possession of that drug, which Hinchcliff said is a misdemeanor.
Hinchcliff added that he didn’t yet have information about Cofer’s possible motive for setting the fire.
He said Cofer – whose profession is listed as truck driver on his booking sheet – had been dropped off at the motel and was staying there.
Cofer will make his first court appearance on Wednesday, Hinchcliff said.
Since his arrest, Cofer has remained in the Lake County Jail, with bail set at $100,000, according to booking records.
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