A July fire in Oregon was started with a newspaper ad and cheese puffs, according to KOIN 6.
A nearby gas station's surveillance video shows a man buying cheese puffs and a newspaper about 23 minutes before the July 29 fire at Rachel's Bar & Grill was reported.
Detective Joe Luiz showed the photos to the bar's owner and he identified the man in the video as Dean Edward Maki, according to KOIN 6 via court documents.
54-year-old Maki was arrested Monday and charged with one count of first-degree arson, and was arraigned that same day after pleading not guilty.
Court documents show Maki had been permanently banned from the bar and that he had also filed a complaint against the establishment.
Maki acknowledged that the man pictured in the surveillance video was him, but didn't "remember why he bought the cheese snack or why he picked it up [the newspaper ad]."
According to investigators, "cheese snacks are a fairly well-known accelerant."
Rachel's Bar and Grill was set on fire again on August 19, and Luiz, as well as other investigators, saw Maki walking about the area. However, Maki has not been charged with the August fire.
His bail for the July arson has been set as $250,000.
