• Carson Now on Facebook
  • Follow Carson Now on Twitter
  • Follow Carson Now by RSS
  • Follow Carson Now by Email

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.

Top Stories

... or see all stories

The Carson City School District reports no delays in school starts or bus service for Monday morning. The snow turned to rain overnight, clearing many of the roads.

Good day Carson City, it is Monday, Jan. 7, 2019. After snow and wind blew into the capital city Sunday and overnight, we are looking at clearing but breezy skies in time for today's inauguration on the capitol grounds. Today is also the first day of classes for Carson City School District after winter break. As of the time of this writing, no delays have been announced.

Carson City weather, Nevada State Capitol

A snowy night at the Nevada State Capitol in Carson City.

The first Carson City School District School Board Meeting of 2019 will be held Tuesday, Jan. 8 in the Sierra Room of the Community Center, located at 851 E. William Street, at 7 p.m.

Most people don’t know that the calendar we use today is called the Gregorian calendar, and it's only about 500 years old. It was adapted in the 16th century. However, in the preceding 1500 years we used the Julian calendar. Both calendars are pretty close to one another, and some Orthodox churches still go by the Julian calendar. As a result, many people around the world celebrate Jan. 7 as Christmas.

The Carson City Sheriff's Office observed three separate large bands of wild horses Sunday morning, totaling close to 100 head, just north of Arrowhead Drive in Northeast Carson City.

The Carson City Chamber is spearheading a special gala to celebrate the grand re-opening of the theater within the Carson City Community Center.

CARSON CITY — The motto at the Veterans Resource Center at Western Nevada College is “Veterans Helping Veterans.” For the local chapter of the Vietnam Veterans of America the rallying cry is “One Generation of Veterans Passing It on to The Next.”

The greater Carson City area was greeted with snow on the ground Sunday morning, with more on the way overnight, according to the National Weather Service.

The weather outside may seem frightful, but here in Northern Nevada, storms are usually all the more reason to get out and do things.

If you do go out on the east side of town today, please be aware of the mustang herding operation being conducted by the Carson City Sheriff's Office along East College Parkway late Sunday morning into the afternoon. There may be traffic delays and detours.

A 45 year-old transient woman was arrested Friday night at 8:47 p.m. in the area of N. Carson and E. Adams streets for suspicion of drug possession and first-offense driving under the influence, a Carson City sheriff's deputy reported.

Big trees inspire me. In part, it’s their age, but it’s also their size. I was in Agate Bay at Lake Tahoe recently staying with a friend. Outside the back door is one of the biggest Jeffrey pines I have seen. It’s massive and regal.

Students of Carson City School District are back to school Monday, Jan. 7. Sleeping in will become a thing of the past, and the alarm clock snooze button will become the most used and abused item owned by those whose pituitary glands refuse to follow the built-in clock of the body.

Recent and regular reports of wild horses along East College Parkway in Carson City have prompted the Carson City Sheriff's Office to organize a herding operation set for Sunday.

Monday is inauguration day at the State Capitol in Carson City. Motorists can expect traffic impacts around downtown Carson City near the Capitol prior to the ceremony.

Please join us on Feb. 9 at 10 a.m. for the ninth annual Carson High Safe Grad Safe & Sober 5K Run/Walk.

This event is organized by volunteers of the Carson High Safe Grad Booster and will be held, once again, at the Carson High School Track-Field.

While no one can truly know the future, the year 2019 is going to be full of notable anniversaries commemorating events significant to history. Some we celebrate, others we mourn or memorialize. Some are remembered fondly, others with grief.

Here is a look at some of the more profound anniversaries we will observe this year:

CASA of Carson City is looking to expand its volunteer base. There are thousands of children in the State of Nevada residing in foster care currently. These children have been removed from their homes, their friends and they need a strong advocate to stand up for them and express their wishes.

A transient man was arrested Friday afternoon at 2:20 p.m. in the 500 block of N. Carson Street for gross misdemeanor destruction of property, a Carson City Sheriff's deputy reported, after he allegedly shattered a window at a lodging business.

Let's hear it for the first weekend of the new year, because it won't happen again for another 12 months.

The first weekend of 2019 also means the first Saturday of the month, which is the day of the Downtown Business Association Monthly Wine Walk in downtown Carson City, come rain, snow, wind or shine.

That's a good thing, too, because this weekend will likely have all of that.

The recent quiet weather will come to a rapid halt on Saturday with the first in a series of typical winter storms to hit the greater Carson City, Reno and Lake Tahoe areas, the National Weather Service in Reno said in a special weather statement.

It was alleged today that Carson City's Waste Management has policies that are causing a trash build-up on Telegraph Square, but Waste Management Representative Kendra Kostelecky says that simply is not the case.

"For commercial businesses, we will come and take your trash every day of the week if that’s what you want,” said Kostelecky. “And we absolutely will provide businesses with as many bins as they want. We’re a business, we don’t have any policy that states we would only provide one bin to restaurants. In fact, we have many businesses that we do pick-ups for multiple times a week.”

Nevada's 30th governor will take office on Monday, Jan. 7 at an inauguration ceremony held in front of the State Capitol in Carson City.

Stephen F. Sisolak, Nevada's first Democratic governor in two decades, was elected on Nov. 6, 2018. He will take the oath of office on the front steps of the Capitol Monday at 11:30 a.m., according to his inauguration web site.

Carson City Firefighters and Sheriff's deputies are on scene of a reported motor oil spill in the roadway at the intersection of North Saliman Road and East Robinson Street near Carson High School.

Crews on scene report three five-gallon jugs of oil were in the roadway.

The city is also responding with copious amounts of sand and a street sweeper to clean up the spill.

Motorists should avoid the area until the spill is cleaned up.

Telegraph Square in downtown Carson City is growing quickly. Not only are new businesses like Gather, The Martin Hotel and Squeeze-In taking up space, but apartments are being renovated and rented out on the upper floors of the buildings.

However, with the area gaining more traffic and business, it also means there is an increase in waste, which has been piling up in the district for nearly half a year.

Three people were arrested in the area of Gordon and Brown streets for felony trafficking of methamphetamine, possession with intent to sell, two counts of possession of drug paraphernalia, and failure to stop at a stop sign, violation of parole and probation, and violation of Department of Alternative Sentencing.

Tickets are on sale for the Carson Rotary Club’s Mardi Gras Celebration. The event takes place Saturday, Feb. 23 at 6 p.m. inside the Casino Fandango’s Grand Ballroom.

A to Zen has been a Carson City staple for the past decade. While they’re mostly known for their assortment of vintage finds, their large record and book collection, handmade gifts, costumes, and what may be the largest collection of knick-knacks in Carson City, they’ve also been engaging in community activities for years.

Nevada Humanities has announced the book selections for the 2019 Nevada Reads program.

Throughout 2019, Nevada Reads will feature three books, two nonfiction memoirs and one novel:

On January 3, 2019 the Special Investigations Unit (SIU) of the Lyon County Sheriff's Office and the Tri-County Gang Unit arrested Lamont Ontario Williams in Dayton on a felony warrant for Level 3 Drug Trafficking. At the time of arrest, Williams was in possession of 15.3 grams of methamphetamine.