Oregon man ruled unfit to stand trial for arson

A 23-year-old man accused of setting an Oregon home on fire in May has been determined to be unfit to stand trial after being evaluated by a court-appointed psychologist.

Matthew L. Thoreson was charged May 2 with aggravated arson, a Class X felony, after a May 1 house fire in the 800 block of South Eighth Street in Oregon.

According to court documents, Thoreson “knowingly damaged” the home when he set a fire while one or more people were inside.

He also is charged with residential arson, a Class 1 felony, in which he is accused of using fire to commit the arson in the home where an Oregon woman lived.

Thoreson has been held in the Ogle County Jail since his arrest. He appeared in court Monday with his attorney, Assistant Public Defender Eric Morrow.

Morrow told Ogle County Judge John “Ben” Roe that Jayne Braden, a forensic and clinical psychologist in Sycamore, had completed her evaluation June 23.

“[Thoreson] is unfit, and she has suggested a course of treatment,” Morrow told Roe.

Assistant State’s Attorney Matthew Leisten agreed with Braden’s report.

Roe agreed to issue an order declaring Thoreson unfit to stand trial with the “probability” of being declared fit within one year after receiving treatment.

Thoreson will be under the supervision of the Illinois Department of Human Services and placed in a suitable, secure facility for inpatient treatment, Roe said.

Thoreson will continue to be held in the Ogle County Jail until being transferred to that facility, Roe said.

“The sheriff’s department will transport him, and a 30-day report will be filed with the court ... with timely, written reports as necessary for the first 90 days,” Roe said.

He set Thoreson’s next hearing for 1:30 p.m. Sept. 22.

At a May hearing, Morrow said Thoreson did not have the ability to help with his defense and asked for the court-appointed evaluation. Morrow said he had a “bona fide doubt” as to Thoreson’s “fitness to stand trial or to plead” due to his “mental condition.”

Morrow said the evaluation – paid for by Ogle County – would help the court decide Thoreson’s fitness to face the charges before any further proceedings are held.

Class X felonies are punishable by six to 30 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections, followed by 18 months of mandatory supervised release. Those convicted must serve 85% of their sentence and register as an arsonist.

The Class 1 felony charge is punishable by four to 15 years in prison, 12 months of mandatory supervised release and registration as an arsonist.

Fire crews reported to the house fire at 12:24 p.m., with the first Oregon fire unit arriving at 12:28 p.m. The fire was extinguished at 12:36 p.m., Oregon Fire Chief Michael Knoup said.

The two occupants of the house were able to escape and exit the home before firefighters’ arrival. One dog and two cats also were rescued from the residence.

Knoup emphasized the importance of having working smoke detectors, adding that the Oregon fire district offers free smoke detector testing.