Officer Helps Extinguish Brush Fire
Some quick thinking from a new Pocatello police officer kept a small brush fire from getting out of control.
It was just after 2 a.m. on Tuesday when officer Jake Pokorny noticed Glenn Thor, 32, driving down the West Clark Extension. Pokorny thought the car looked suspicious, so he pulled over, turned off his headlights and waited. Thor then allegedly tossed a lit car flare out of his window.
Pokorny turned on his emergency lights and pulled Thor over, and as the two were talking, the flare started a brush fire on the side of the road.
Pokorny called the Pocatello Fire Department, and crews were able to put out the blaze before it could get to nearby houses.
Thor has been charged with felony third-degree arson. Lt. Paul Manning said he was proud of the officer, who has been on the force for roughly one year, because it is very rare to catch arson in the act.