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Dayton area man suspected of being a serial arsonist, arrested by state fire marshal

CARSON CITY — On June 14, 2021, the Nevada Department of Public Safety State Fire Marshal Division, in conjunction with the Central Lyon Fire Protection District, investigated a vehicle arson fire that occurred in the area of Cash Drive and Carry Way. The investigation led to the discovery of several other arson fires in the Mound House industrial area and burglaries in fire stations located in Douglas, Washoe, and Lyon counties.

State Fire Marshal investigators and Lyon County Sheriff Deputies conducted surveillance operations, and on Monday, June 21, 2021, they arrested Kevin Matthew Critor while he was attempting to set another arson fire in the area of Cash Drive and Carry Way. Critor was in possession of a firefighter badge and a firearm during the incident. Critor is 29 years of age and from the Dayton area.

A search warrant was executed on Critor’s property, where investigators found over $50,000 in firefighter equipment, fire department uniforms, firefighter identification cards, and public safety radios. Critor was also in possession of a retired fire engine with operating emergency lights and siren and two other vehicles with aftermarket emergency lights. Additionally, Critor reportedly would identify himself as a firefighter while having no ties to any fire agency.

“Arson is a serious crime that affects an entire community and can quickly drain emergency resources. We are glad that we were able to apprehend this individual before he caused further damage to the community or injured someone,” said Acting Lieutenant Joseph Rodriguez.

Critor was booked into the Lyon County Detention Facility on the following charges:
3 Counts of 3rd Degree Arson
15 Counts of Possession of Stolen Property
3 Counts of Tampering with a Fire Hydrant
2 Counts of Impersonating a Public Officer
2 Count of Possession of Control Substance
1 Count of Prohibited Person in Possession of a Firearm

The investigation was conducted in partnership with the Nevada Department of Public State Fire Marshal Division, Central Lyon Fire Protection, Lyon County Sheriff’s Office, and the Nevada Department of Public Safety Parole and Probation and Investigations Divisions.

The State Fire Marshal encourages anyone with information about arson fires to contact the Arson Hotline at 844-NV ARSON (682-7766). Callers may remain anonymous.

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Good morning Carson City and happy Saturday! We’ve got a bunch of great events going on today including Rockabilly Riot day three, the annual Pooch Plunge, and much more!


Saturday, September 21

Veterans Resource Groups Visit Food Pantries

Healthy Communities Coalition announces its new initative to host representatives from different veterans resource groups once a month at each of its volunteer-powered food pantries in Lyon County. TMCC Veterans Upward Bound shared information at the Yerington Food Pantry on September 18th. They will be on hand at the Dayton Food Pantry to share information on Wednesday, September 25 from noon to 4pm. They will also be at the Silver Stage Food Pantry to share information on Wednesday October 2 from 1pm-4pm.

Segments of the Interstate 580 Carson City Freeway will be reduced to a single lane throughout the weekend as part of a Nevada Department of Transportation project to resurface and enhance the interstate.

I-580 will be reduced to a single lane in each direction between North Carson Street and College Parkway from 6 p.m. Friday, Sept. 20 through 7 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 22 as crews stripe the newly-paved freeway and resurface bridge decks. Speeds will be reduced to 45 mph, and motorists should anticipate minor travel delays.

A 25-year-old Carson City man was arrested on 20 felony charges including burglary, possession of stolen property, burglary with a firearm, possession of instrument with burglarious intent, and removing a firearm’s serial number.

Marco Antonio Covarrubias was arrested in the 1100 block of Ridgefield Drive early Thursday morning after deputies were responding to the area of Pinion Pine Drive on report of a burglary, and the area had recently reported several other burglaries during the past week with similar circumstances.

The Friends of Silver Saddle Ranch invite you to the annual Pancake Breakfast Saturday, September 21st. A guided Bird Walk starts the day at 7 a.m.

At 10 a.m., 11 a.m. and Noon, a short presentation on the history of Silver Saddle will be at the Red House.

Come enjoy a beautiful Saturday morning at the historic Silver Saddle Ranch.

At the Carson City Board of Supervisor’s meeting Thursday, Sept. 19, the Board voted to accept tentative maps for three new subdivisions.

The subdivisions are to be placed in the Schulz Ranch neighborhood, the second off Little Lane, and the third on E. Roland Street.

Carson City Sheriff's deputies were dispatched to the area of Highway 50 E. and Deer Run Road following a non-injury accident at 11:30 a.m. Friday morning.

According to dispatch, the road is blocked and NHP is also responding.

Motorists should avoid the area if possible at this time.

Have you read a banned book lately?

Chances are, even if it was on your high-school Literature class reading list, you have read a book that somebody somewhere wanted to ban.

Along with libraries across the country, the Carson City Library will be celebrating Banned Books Week (Sept. 22-28) with a special event to thank authors whose work has been prohibited or challenged.

Rupert's Auto Body

Rupert’s Auto Body donated a 2014 Chevrolet Cruze to the Sheriff’s Office VIPS for Vets program to support the growing need for transportation services for local veterans. The VIPS for Vets program has grown tremendously over the past two years as it serves to accommodate day-to-day errands for homebound veterans. Carson City’s veterans will continue to have the reassurance in knowing they can rely on VIPS for Vets transport if needed. With the addition of the new reliable vehicle, this service can help more veterans travel greater distances.

The Carson Senators varsity football team plays the Hug Hawks on Friday at Carson High School at 7 p.m.

Carson is 1-2 to start the year coming off a tough losses to Foothill and Redding. Hug is 0-4 coming off a 39-0 loss to Galena.

There’s no real Nevada Day without the Nevada Day Parade, and there’s no parade without parade marshals.

Marshals are an integral part of the parade. They’re on the ground floor making sure that the parade entires are situated before the parade, and they make sure they flow smoothly during the parade.

Heading into the weekend, there’s a bevy of activities around the Carson City region over the next three days. Events include the Rockabilly Riot car show, Dayton Valley Days, a pancreatic cancer awareness walk at Silver Oak Golf Course, the annual Pooch Plunge at the Carson Aquatic Facility, horse endurance races in Virginia City, history talks at Mormon Station Park and much more!

It may not feel like frost is in the air after a day of sunshine and a few clouds around the Carson City region, however the National Weather Service advises there's a potential for frosty conditions late Thursday night into early Friday morning.

The 31st annual Dayton Valley Days kicks off this weekend with a street festival, food booths, plenty of games for kids, a host of family entertainment options including gold panning, ghost tours, a vehicle show and shine, chili cook-off, Sunday pet parade and more.

CARSON CITY — Beginning Sept. 23, single lane closures will be in place and commercial trucks will temporarily be prohibited from traveling westbound over the Mt. Rose Highway summit (State Route 431) as part of continuing Nevada Department of Transportation roadway improvements.

During Thursday’s Board of Supervisor’s Meeting, the Board voted on a measure to transfer ownership of the site of the Brewery Arts Center into the hands of the Brewery Arts Center themselves. For the past 40 years, the City has held ownership of the property at 449 King Street, and has been leasing the property to the organization.

The site of today’s Brewery Arts Center has gone through several changes in its time. The Carson Brewery was first built in 1860 by John Wagner, who created the brewery during the Comstock rush to wet the whistles of all those hoping to become the next gold-rush billionaire, and it became Nevada’s longest-operating brewery to date.

CARSON CITY — The storm’s coming, and Travel Nevada invites all naruto runners to take part in the Area 51 Intergalatic Scavenger Hunt (Area 51-ISH) this fall. Find and get Unidentified Free Objects (UFOs) and other spacy swag on Nevada’s Extraterrestrial Highway and in surrounding communities of Tonopah, Caliente and Pioche.

Rich color from reflected light at sun up over Carson City.

Carson City Aquatic Facility will hold its annual Pooch Plunge pool party this Saturday to help support Critter Fixer, Carson Animal Services Initiative’s low cost spay and neuter voucher program.

Jules Lawson, 4, walks her peg-leg dog Butters, 13, past the judges during the Scallywaggers Pirate Pup Parade at the Brewery Arts Center in Carson City on Wednesday, Sept. 18, 2019. Butters won the Crew Favorite category. The event was part of the ongoing Summer Movie Night hosted by the Carson City Cinema Club and Realtor Garrett Lepire, benefits CASI.

INCLINE VILLAGE, Nev. — Beginning Oct. 1, the boat ramp at Sand Harbor will close for the season and the Cave Rock Boat Ramp will change to winter hours, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

A 47-year-old female transient was arrested early Wednesday in the 100 block of East Telegraph Street for two counts misdemeanor littering after allegedly dumping trash from cans into the road and then refusing to pick up the litter, a Carson City sheriff's deputy report said.

Coming up on the final stretch of the work week, Thursday, Sept. 19, 2019 is shaping up to be eventful around the capital city area, including a morning Tahoe Rim Trail hike hosted by Muscle Powered, a meeting of the Carson City Board of Supervisors, a Status of Women in Nevada meeting at the Carson Nugget, activities at the library including the first in a series of Job Seeking With Google workshops, plus the first of the three-day Rockabilly Riot car show at Mills Park and more. Enjoy the day.

The Nevada Housing Division will celebrate the fifth year of its rental housing locator at a relaunch party to introduce a new look and easier navigation of the NVHousingSearch.org website. The event will be held Thursday, Sept. 26 at the NHD office located at 1830 College Parkway, Suite 200 in Carson City beginning at 11 a.m.

The Carson City School District’s quarterly Community PLC (Professional Learning Community) meeting scheduled for Wednesday, Sept. 25, 6 p.m., will offer a report from the Citizen Committee for 1600 Snyder. The meeting, held inside the Carson High School Library, will be the first meeting of the 2019-2020 school year.

Carson City Fire Department and the Nevada Highway Patrol were called to a traffic accident on I-580 near Spooner Junction at Highway 50 and another crash on Carson Street.

At the monthly Carson City Airport Authority meeting of the board, the Authority presented Donna Clarke, executive director of the Eagle Valley Children's Home, a check in the amount of $3,963.61 to establish an endowment in the name of the Carson City Airport Authority to support the mission of the children's home.

CARSON CITY — Single lane closures will take place on U.S. 395 south of Gardnerville the evenings of Sept. 23 and Sept. 24 as the Nevada Department of Transportation replaces a cattle guard across the highway.

The Nevada Division of Insurance was alerted by the California Department of Insurance of a national insurance scam targeting consumers shopping for privately funded loans, usually for real estate transactions.

Each September for the past five years, Carson City Kiwanis has been making it their duty to fundraise and bring awareness to pancreatic cancer. This year, to that end, they’ll be hosting the 6th annual Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Day event on Saturday, Sept. 21.

The fundraiser will offer three events to further the cause: a golf tournament hosted by the Silver Oak Golf Course, a pancreatic cancer walk/run, and a bench press championship competition.