Knight

LA GRANDE — A plea deal looks to be in the works for arson defendant Kael Knight of Imbler.

Knight, 19, appeared Tuesday afternoon in Union County Circuit Court via video from the nearby county jail. He sat silent while deputy district attorney Greg Baxter and defense attorney Rick Dall updated the court on the possibly of reaching a plea.

Dall told Circuit Judge Thomas Powers any delay is not about whether Knight is mentally fit to proceed but about the district attorney’s office needing to check all the boxes, such as talking to victims.

Knight faces one count of evidence tampering and two each of first- and second-degree arson. Tampering is a misdemeanor, but the arson charges are felonies.

The state has accused Knight of setting four fires in the Imbler area, on Sept. 4, 21 and 24. The first three fires destroyed abandoned buildings and the last was next to a business. Imbler Rural Fire Chief Mike Barry at Knight’s arraignment on Sept. 26 told the court the fires seemed to be escalating toward a more public threat.

Baxter told the court he is working to resolve the case soon, perhaps in a matter of a few weeks. He said the hang-up is finding an appropriate place for Knight after jail because he may have “potential mental health issues.”

Powers set Dec. 10 for Knight to submit his plea.