Man Accused Of Starting Fires, Assaulting Menifee Police Officer Arrested

MENIFEE, CA — A 29-year-old man accused of assaulting a Menifee police officer on Thursday was arrested on suspicion igniting small fires in the area that afternoon.

Jorden Taykeion was arrested during the incident, the Menifee Police Department said on Friday.

Officers responded on Thursday at 1:43 p.m. to reports of a fire near several businesses in the Menifee Countryside Marketplace, officials said. As police and firefighters arrived to the area, witnesses told authorities that a second fire had been started along the Paloma Wash Walking Trail.

Witnesses gave a description of a person they saw leaving the Marketplace fire with a lighter in hand before the second fire began. Officers headed onto the trail and quickly found a person matching that description, officials said.

After "a brief struggle," Taykeion was taken into custody on suspicion of assaulting a police officer. No officers were injured during the incident.

"There is no threat to the community," police said.

Cal Fire is handling the ongoing investigation of the fires. Anyone who may have information about the fires was urged to contact the CAL Fire Investigator at Ariel.Sosa@fire.ca.gov.