By Larry Judkins
Glenn County Observer
Shortly after 4 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 8, Glenn County Sheriff’s deputies and Orland Fire Department volunteers, followed a few minutes later by Orland police officers, responded to a report of a fire in the Stony Creek bed, northeast of Orland.
Upon arrival at the scene, it was soon discovered by responders that they weren’t dealing with just one fire, but several. Orland Fire Chief Justin Chaney was heard on the police scanner saying it was a total of six separate fires; Action News Now (TV Channels 12 and 24, or 36 for short) reported it was five fires; and the Glenn County Sheriff’s log item for this incident said it was four fires.
Whatever the correct number of fires was, they were in very rough terrain and access to them was extremely difficult. A call for bulldozers went out, mutual aid from several area fire departments was requested, and the CalFire helicopter was also called to the scene.
The sheriff’s log entry for this incident begins: “On 10-08-2023 at approximately 1605 hours [4:05 p.m.], Glenn County Sheriff’s Office and Orland Fire Department personnel responded to the area north of Stony Creek Drive at the creek for a report of a vegetation fire. Personnel from various agencies responded as mutual aid for the incident, and assisted until the fire was extinguished and no longer a threat to the community. At the time, no arson investigation or reports were taken by GCSO personnel for the incident.”
However, the log item continues: “At approximately 1825 hours [6:25 p.m.], fire personnel requested GCSO to respond for transients who were returning to their camps. Deputies arrived on scene [and] interviewed Blake Martin, Garry Lewark, and Johnathan Bush. All three advised they did not have any information regarding how the fire started. GCSO does not have any suspect leads at this time. Deputies attempted to locate Alton Steele (age 39), Allen Smock and Robert (no last name), who also live in Stony Creek, for interviews but were unsuccessful.”
Although this log item says that the Glenn County Sheriff’s Office “does not have any suspect leads at this time”, the very same entry elsewhere calls Alton Claude-Douglas Steele, an Orland transient, a “Suspect Known”. No one else is listed in this manner. Rather, Garry Michael Lewark of 102 Eighth Street, Orland; Allen Wade Smock, an Orland transient; Johnathan Perry Bush, a Willows transient; and Blake James Martin of 6686 County Road 21, Orland; are all called “Involved Parties”.
The summary for this log entry concludes, “There was a total of 4 separate fires, 2 of which were under a quarter of an acre and 1 was approximately 2 acres.”
This wasn’t the last time Alton Steele’s name came up in the sheriff’s logs for Oct. 8. The sheriff’s office recorded the following for 5:21 p.m.: “Deputy Vargas was detailed to 6653 County Road 10 in Orland, for a report of threats. Deputy Vargas arrived on scene and contacted Aaron Bressoud, who advised he drove his quad to go see the fire at Stony Creek on 10-08-23. Deputy Vargas was told by Bressoud, while he was down by the creek, a transient male began yelling profanities and threatened to kill him and his family. Bressoud told Deputy Vargas that the male subject was located on the other side of the creek, which was separated by water. Deputies were unable to locate the male subject … due to the time of night and terrain to get to the male subject. Deputy Vargas advised Bressoud to give [the sheriff’s office] a call if the male subject returned.” Later in the log entry, the “male subject” is named as “Suspect Known” Alton Steele.
Steele is no stranger to the Glenn County law enforcement and justice systems. Without a doubt, his most notorious encounter with the law occurred in early 2020. On Saturday, March 14 of that year, a gymkhana event was taking place at the Glenn County Fairgrounds. A young girl entered a public restroom at the fairgrounds and a man followed her inside. There, the man attempted to look under the stall the girl was using.
A boy saw what was happening and intervened, and the man fled the fairgrounds. The incident was reported to adults, and the California Highway Patrol, which has jurisdiction over the fairgrounds, and the Orland Police Department were contacted. At about 12:25 p.m., an Orland police officer found the man, identified as Orland transient Alton Steele, at Fourth and Colusa Streets, and detained him. At about 1 p.m., a CHP officer booked Steele into the Glenn County Jail on charges alleging possession of controlled substance paraphernalia, a misdemeanor; loitering in or around a public restroom, a misdemeanor; child molesting, a felony; and violation of parole, a felony. (In 2017, Steele was convicted of burglary in a trial by jury. He was sentenced to four years in state prison, although he obviously was released prior to the completion of the full sentence.)
In June of 2020, after a lengthy court trial, Steele was found guilty of annoying, molesting, or harassing a child under the age of 18 (a misdemeanor), possession of methamphetamine pipes (a misdemeanor), and a parole violation. Six witnesses testified, two of whom were children. The Glenn County District Attorney’s Office thanked “these two juveniles and their family for standing up to this sexual predator and thereby helping keep other children safe.” Steele was sentenced to 315 days in the Glenn County Jail and ordered to register as a sex offender for 10 years. Parole was also reinstated.
While serving his sentence in the county jail, Steele was found to be in possession of an intoxicant (a felony). On Nov. 30, 2020, he was served with a warrant alleging this. On Friday, Feb. 5, 2021, he was convicted of felony possession of contraband (the intoxicant) in jail. He also admitted to a prior strike. He was sentenced to 32 months in state prison.
As for the events of Oct. 8, 2023, in which Steele’s name twice came up as a “Suspect Known”, as of 4 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 11, Steele had not been booked into the Glenn County Jail for anything, nor does The Observer even know whether Glenn County law enforcement is even actively looking for him.
The Glenn County Observer 