Tuesday, November 18th, 2025
St. Marys man charged in setting Auglaize woods fire
By Abigail Miller
NEW KNOXVILLE - A 39-year-old St. Marys man accused of intentionally starting a forest fire Sunday on the west side of Moulton-New Knoxville Road near New Knoxville was arrested for felony arson.
The Auglaize County Sheriff's Office received multiple calls at around 6:30 p.m. Sunday to an area west of Moulton-New Knoxville Road between Cloverleaf Road and Washington Pike on reports of a male that appeared to be starting fires in a nearby woods, Sheriff Mike Vorhees told The Daily Standard.
"We received several calls from different neighbors, (including) one that lives very close to the woods in a house back close to the woods," Vorhees said. "When our deputies got on scene, they were met with other property owners that said there's somebody back there. One property owner had already confronted the male. Our deputies went back and found the male walking out of a woods, and confronted him. He admitted to the deputies that he had lit the woods on fire to clean it."
The male, identified as Christopher L. Chiles, was arrested on one count of arson, a fourth-degree felony; criminal trespass, a fourth-degree misdemeanor; and criminal damaging/endangering, a first-degree misdemeanor.
If convicted, he faces up to two years in prison and a maximum fine of $6,250.
Vorhees estimated that the woodlands spanned about 5 to 10 acres and that about half of the blaze was ground burn. It took crews about three hours to contain the fire on Sunday night, though they were called back to the scene Monday morning because it had reignited.
"There was a few dead trees that were burnt. They had to go back out this morning for a rekindle," he said. "But it was just containing it. Around the woods was the biggest problem. The wind did not help the firemen. The wind fueled the fire."
No injuries were reported and no nearby structures sustained damage. Vorhees said authorities believe Chiles used "some type of a lighting device, like a lighter on him" to start the fire.
"He did not cause us any issues during the arrest. He was cooperative with the deputies during the arrest. So there wasn't any issues in that, but it was very bizarre," he added. "I know he had a bond hearing this morning with Judge Ausburger (Municipal Judge R. Andrew Ausburger). They were working on getting some evaluations for him and things like that."
Chiles is being held on $50,000 bond at the Auglaize County Jail. The incident remains under investigation with additional charges possible.
