Accused arsonist on the run in Caddo County

CYRIL — Accused of setting fire to the railroad tracks twice, a 31-year-old Caddo County man is wanted by the law after he escaped police and disappeared onto tribal trust land.

The Caddo County District Court issued a felony arrest warrant for Nickolas Blaine Toahty, a.k.a. Nickolas Blaine Klinekole, of Cyril, for two counts of third-degree arson, as well as misdemeanor charges of obstructing police, possession of a controlled dangerous substance and possession of drug paraphernalia, records indicate.

Due to a prior Caddo County felony burglary conviction in March 2012, Toahty is facing between two years to life in prison if convicted of the arson counts.

Cyril Police Chief Richard Jones said the investigation began shortly before 1 p.m. Jan. 4 when a fire on the train tracks and surrounding grass at the intersection of 1st and Colorado streets led to the Cyril Volunteer Fire Department being called.

Another call about the same location shortly after 2:15 p.m. sent police and fire back in action. A witness said a man in a black trenchcoat and white straw hat started the fires before walking off into the tree line, the warrant affidavit states. Jones and Fire Chief Gerard Dodson went looking for the suspect and found him in a yard at 720 S. Basket Street, which is Comanche Tribal trust land, the chief stated. Dodson took photos of the man and permission was granted by Caddo County Undersheriff Delbert Stallings to search the land.

The suspect saw Jones pull up and ran behind the home and toward the Town of Cyril sewer lagoons, Jones stated. The man then turned, ran toward the police unit, shed the trenchcoat and hopped a fence into the brush line on the tribal land, the affidavit states. Bureau of Indian Affairs law enforcement and the Comanche Nation Tribal Police were called.

While holding a perimeter line while awaiting the Native police, Jones said a woman who lived at the home arrived and she identified Toahty. By 4:25 p.m., Toahty hadn’t been located but his hat was found. Jones went through the trenchcoat’s pockets and found a broken glass pipe used for smoking methamphetamine and a torch lighter, according to the affidavit. Toahty wasn’t found but the witness confirmed Toahty was the suspect she’d seen light the fires, according to Jones.