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Please reference CCSO Case # 21-002484
Photos:
- James Rodney Dement Sr., 60, of Milwaukie
- Justin Jimmy Hawkins, 49, of Milwaukie
- Fire-scene photos: [ 1 ] [ 2 ] [ 3 ] [ 4 ] [ 5 ] [ 6 ] [ 7 ]
The Clackamas County Sheriff's Office is seeking tips after a fight followed by a suspicious fire at Milwaukie four-plex.
At 1:45 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 2, 2021, deputies responded to the 14400 block of SE Lee Ave. in Milwaukie, to a 911 call that two males were physically fighting outside.
When deputies arrived, they found no fight in progress. But the men described in the altercation were believed to be James Rodney Dement Sr., 60, of Milwaukie (pictured above), and Justin Jimmy Hawkins, 49, of Milwaukie. Dement and Hawkins and a third man are believed to be "squatting" in a unit of a four-plex located on that block. (A relative of Mr. Dement's lives in another unit of the four-plex.)
Mr. Dement is well-known to authorities -- and on Feb. 2, he had a felony warrant for his arrest out of Clackamas County for probation violations on Burglary II and PCS-Meth.
No one answered the door to the squatters' unit when deputies knocked. Deputies cleared the scene without contacting either of the men believed to be involved in the fight.
Then, at 3:55 p.m., fire crews from Clackamas Fire District #1 were dispatched to the report of a residential fire at this same Milwaukie four-plex.
Firefighters were able to extinguish the fire, but not before it had spread from one unit to the next. Fortunately, there were no reported injuries.
But the fire was deemed suspicious -- so deputies responded to the scene, as well.
Deputies spoke with witnesses in the area and investigated.
At about 5 p.m. on Feb. 2, Deputies located James Dement inside his relative's four-plex unit. He was taken into custody on his felony warrant without incident. His booking photo is attached. He is currently being held without bail in the Clackamas County Jail. Complete booking information is here: https://web3.clackamas.us/roster/#inmates
An investigation is now underway to determine the cause of the fire. This investigation includes a Clackamas Fire investigator, a Sheriff's office detective and a Sheriff's Office Crime Scene Investigator. Photos from the fire scene are linked above.
The fire is believed to have originated in the squatters' unit. Authorities are now attempting to determine Dement and Hawkins' involvement in (or knowledge of) the afternoon physical fight and the later fire, and whether those incidents are related.
TIPS SOUGHT: Anyone with information about possible criminal activity by James Dement or Justin Hawkins on or around the events of Feb. 2 is urged to contact the Sheriff's Office Tip Line -- by phone at 503-723-4949 or by using the online email form at https://www.clackamas.us/sheriff/tip . Please reference CCSO Case # 21-002484.
(A past booking photo of Mr. Hawkins is linked above.)
[END]
Sgt. Marcus Mendoza
Clackamas County Sheriff's Office
Public Information Unit