Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office press release: 

On 06-12-2015 at 9:20 p.m. a Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office Deputy responded to a report of arson at a residence located in the 300 block of Bacchetti Street, Eureka. When the deputy arrived on scene he contacted a female victim, who witnessed the suspect, Michael Eugene Davidsen (age 48) set her outside garage wall on fire.

The victim said Davidsen arrived at the residence and was speaking incoherently and acting crazy. The victim said Davidsen had a red gas can and she believed that Davidsen poured the gasoline on the outside garage wall. The victim said Davidsen then grabbed a rug that was outside and set the rug on fire. Davidsen then threw the rug on the garage wall where he had just poured the gasoline. The victim said the garage wall then caught on fire. The victim said she was inside of the residence when the garage wall caught fire.

The victim said Davidsen then drove away in his truck. The victim and a witness were able to extinguish the fire with a gardening hose. The fire burned an approximately 2 ½ foot by 8 foot section of the outside garage wall. No one was injured in the fire. The motive of the arson is still under investigation by the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office.

The Sheriff’s Office attempted to locate Davidsen after the fire, but were unable to locate him. On 6-13-2015 at 6:00 p.m. the Sheriff’s Office received a call of a disturbance in progress at the same residence on Bacchetti where the fire had occurred the night before. When the deputies arrived on scene they located Davidsen, who had returned to the property and was in a heated verbal argument with the witnesses of the arson.

The deputies immediately placed Davidsen under arrest for the arson of the garage the night before. Davidsen was then transported to the Humboldt County Correctional Facility where he was booked for Arson. Davidsen was also booked on a no bail warrant for violation of probation.

Davidsen is believed to be the suspect in the arson of the boat and truck the week before on Bacchetti.

Anyone with information for the Sheriff’s Office regarding this case or related criminal activity is encouraged to call the Sheriff’s Office at 707-445-7251 or the Sheriff’s Office Crime Tip line at 707-268-2539.

PREVIOUSLY: Boat, Truck Torched in Early Morning Highland Park-Area Arson, Sheriff’s Office Says