Grand Junction, Colo - On June 26, 2026, at approximately 1:00 a.m., the Grand Junction Police Department and Grand Junction Fire Department responded to multiple fires in a residential area between N 10th Street and 12th Street and extending from Walnut Avenue to Orchard Avenue.
First responders arrived on scene to find active fires along several fence lines that had spread to a storage shed and an occupied three-story residential condominium. Firefighters with the Grand Junction Fire Department, with assistance from the Clifton Fire Protection District, extinguished all fires. There were no reported injuries.
Based on the proximity and timing of the fires, first responders suspected arson.
Working closely with the Grand Junction Fire Department and the Colorado Division of Fire Protection and Control, detectives with the Grand Junction Police Department identified the suspect as 28-year-old Zachary Crone, and a warrant was issued for his arrest.
On June 29, 2026, at approximately 10:30 p.m., officers contacted Crone in the area of Linda Lane and Orchard Avenue and took him into custody.
Crone was arrested and transported to the Mesa County Detention Facility, where he was booked on the following charges:
First Degree Arson (nine counts)
Reckless Endangerment (nine counts)
Attempted Murder in the First Degree (seven counts)
Criminal Mischief
The details of this case remain under investigation and there is no additional information available at this time.
The Grand Junction Police Department reminds all residents that Mesa County is currently under Stage 2 Fire Restrictions. While fire conditions remain extreme, we ask everyone to do their part to prevent human-caused fires, and to call non-emergency dispatch at 970-242-6707 to report any suspicious behavior.
Read the original media release by the Grand Junction Fire Department here.