Man arrested on suspicion of trying to set house on fire and stealing car

A 36-year-old South Lake Tahoe man was arrested in Carson City, NV Saturday on a California Superior Court warrant charge that alleges attempted arson, use of an incendiary device, vandalism with property damage of more than $950 and vehicle theft.

The South Lake Tahoe Police Department (SLTPD) received a call at 2:25 p.m. on Friday, August 12 about about a man breaking windows at a neighbor's home, then trying to set his own house on fire after a neighborhood dispute on Lukins Way. The suspect, Derek Ernest Bogard, was not in the area when police arrived.

An hour later, SLTPD received a call about a stolen vehicle from the parking lot at Motel 6 on Lake Tahoe Blvd. The owner left the keys inside and returned to his work vehicle to find it gone. Most likely the thief was unaware that the vehicle was equipped with GPS.

The vehicle was tracked to Nevada and the Nevada Highway Patrol located it and pulled the driver over. Inside was Derek Ernest Bogard, the suspect in the attempted arson and vandalism incidents on Lukins Way.

He was arrested and booked into the Carson City jail. Bogard is awaiting to be extradited to South Lake Tahoe. Bail: $200,000.

All information for the crime log (unless otherwise noted) comes from the arrest reports supplied by the South Lake Tahoe Police Department, El Dorado County Sheriff's Office and Carson City Sheriff's Office. This report is considered by law to be public information. All subjects are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.