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Toledo Official Hope Arrest Ends Recent Arson Spree
JOHN SEEWER
Associated Press Writer
TOLEDO, Ohio - The arrest of a man running away from a burning vacant home on Thursday gave city leaders some hope they can bring an end to a string fires that have destroyed nearly 40 boarded-up homes since June.
The city's police chief cautioned that it's too early to know whether the homeless man taken into custody can be connected with any of the fires that have plagued two neighborhoods south and east of downtown.
But he also said that the man had been living in a vacant house on a street where there had been several recent fires.
"It's a real possibility this guy is responsible for a lot of them," said Police Chief Mike Navarre. "But I don't think anybody is responsible for all of them."
The number of suspected of arsons so far this year _ around 90 _ is up almost 40 percent over the same period last year. It's worsened in recent weeks, with firefighters contending with four or five fires in a day.
No one has been hurt so far, but several fires have caused damage to neighboring houses.
Neighbors spotted the suspect who was arrested Thursday morning after an empty home next door caught fire.
Tausha Ybarra, 35, said she was sitting on a porch with her boyfriend when the man ran between the two houses and stopped to ask them directions.
"Just then we started smelling smoke," she said.
Henry Lee Jackson, 42, was found hiding near the scene and later charged with aggravated arson in that fire, Navarre said. Jackson was being held without bail; police said they did not know whether he had an attorney.
Police had received a tip about Jackson earlier, the police chief said. Navarre would not say what Jackson told investigators after he was arrested.
Last week, city leaders announced a $25,000 reward for information about the fires and said the FBI was helping with the investigation.
Some of the fires happened within minutes of each other on the same block. There were five suspicious fires on Monday alone, which takes a toll on firefighters, said Fire Chief Mike Wolever.
"It wears you out," he said. "It's beating them up pretty good. You can work on adrenaline only so long."
Copyright 2010 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Associated Press Writer
TOLEDO, Ohio - The arrest of a man running away from a burning vacant home on Thursday gave city leaders some hope they can bring an end to a string fires that have destroyed nearly 40 boarded-up homes since June.
The city's police chief cautioned that it's too early to know whether the homeless man taken into custody can be connected with any of the fires that have plagued two neighborhoods south and east of downtown.
But he also said that the man had been living in a vacant house on a street where there had been several recent fires.
"It's a real possibility this guy is responsible for a lot of them," said Police Chief Mike Navarre. "But I don't think anybody is responsible for all of them."
The number of suspected of arsons so far this year _ around 90 _ is up almost 40 percent over the same period last year. It's worsened in recent weeks, with firefighters contending with four or five fires in a day.
No one has been hurt so far, but several fires have caused damage to neighboring houses.
Neighbors spotted the suspect who was arrested Thursday morning after an empty home next door caught fire.
Tausha Ybarra, 35, said she was sitting on a porch with her boyfriend when the man ran between the two houses and stopped to ask them directions.
"Just then we started smelling smoke," she said.
Henry Lee Jackson, 42, was found hiding near the scene and later charged with aggravated arson in that fire, Navarre said. Jackson was being held without bail; police said they did not know whether he had an attorney.
Police had received a tip about Jackson earlier, the police chief said. Navarre would not say what Jackson told investigators after he was arrested.
Last week, city leaders announced a $25,000 reward for information about the fires and said the FBI was helping with the investigation.
Some of the fires happened within minutes of each other on the same block. There were five suspicious fires on Monday alone, which takes a toll on firefighters, said Fire Chief Mike Wolever.
"It wears you out," he said. "It's beating them up pretty good. You can work on adrenaline only so long."
Copyright 2010 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
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