OROVILLE HISTORIC LOTT HOME ARSONIST ARRAIGNED
10/12/2026 "Press Release" - Butte County District Attorney's Office
A functioning alarm system and quick-responding Oroville first responders saved Oroville’s Historic Lott Home from burning down early Friday morning.
Brandon Cody Dingman, 37, homeless in Oroville, was arraigned in Butte County Superior Court today on felony charges of intentional arson and burglary.
Butte County District Attorney Mike Ramsey said the charges stemmed from motion and smoke alarms that were triggered at 2:36 a.m. on October 9, 2026. Oroville Police officers were immediately dispatched to the city-owned Lott House in Sank Park on Montgomery Street.
Within two minutes of the alarms, officers arrived and found a broken window near the southeast corner of the historic building. Officers observed broken glass and what appeared to be fresh blood on the window frame, windowsill, surrounding concrete, and a curtain immediately inside the building.
Looking through the window, officers observed smoke inside the building. An antique wooden chair positioned near the window had sustained substantial fire damage, and the wood flooring under the chair was also charred.
Fortunately, no active flames were visible when officers arrived, but fire personnel arrived to maintain safety.
Within a few minutes, Oroville officers found Dingman nearby, at a short distance from the Lott Home. Dingman’s arm was actively bleeding, and an officer observed what appeared to be glass lodged in the wound.
Officers searched Dingman’s backpack, located a lighter and a torch, and placed him under arrest.
The Lott Home was built in 1856 in Oroville by Charles Fayette Lott, a California Gold Rush pioneer, lawyer, state senator, and Second Judicial District (then Butte, Tehama, Plumas, and Lassen Counties) judge.
At his arraignment today, Dingman was assigned a public defender. His next court date is October 14 for further arraignment and appearance with his counsel. He remains in custody on $90,000 bail.
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