A Michigan man faces a slew of charges after allegedly setting fire to the home of a man who was chatting online with his ex-girlfriend, police said.
The accused arsonist, Harrison Jones, travelled over 11 hours from his home in Rockford, Mich., to Bensalem, Pa., where he arrived in the early morning hours of Feb. 10.
Emergency crews responded to a report of a dwelling fire, according to a statement from the Bensalem Township Police Department on Monday.
“Upon arrival, emergency services located six adult residents who had evacuated from the home, some of whom had to jump out of second-storey windows to escape the flames,” cops said.
“Fire engulfed the two-storey single-family dwelling, which resulted in a total loss,” the statement continued.
“Two dogs perished in the fire, and the six adults were transported to nearby hospitals with injuries.”
Fire and law enforcement officials investigated the cause of the fire and determined it appeared to be “intentionally set and incendiary in nature,” according to the police department.
Home surveillance captured a black sedan passing the home before stopping nearby.
“A subject exits the vehicle with an object and walks towards the residence,” police said before he is seen running back to his waiting car and leaving the area.
“As the suspect vehicle fled the area, smoke could be seen billowing up from the rear yard of the home, and within 30 seconds, a large explosion was observed, and the house became engulfed in flames,” the statement detailed.
After matching the licence plate of a Volkswagen Passat that fled the fiery scene to a Brian Jones of Rockford, Michigan, detectives also “discovered that a 21-year-old male resident [of the destroyed home] had an online relationship with a female who lived in Michigan and was supposed to come to Bensalem to meet in person for the first time this week,” police said.
“The ex-boyfriend of the female from Michigan was identified as Harrison Jones of Rockford, Michigan, who lives at the same address as the owner of the Volkswagen Passat.”
The Bensalem Township Police Department connected with the Kent County Sheriff’s Office, who obtained a search warrant for Harrison Jones’ residence.
Authorities seized the Passat in which they found lock-picking devices, a cell phone and computer.
Cops also discovered what appeared to be burns on Jones’ arms.
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He was and charged with six counts of attempted criminal homicide, arson and risking catastrophe.
The police department thanked the Kent County Michigan Sheriff’s Department as well as local law enforcement and fire investigators “who took a grainy image of a vehicle and turned it into the arrest of a suspect who traveled over 700 miles and 11+ hours each way to commit crimes that nearly cost six people their lives.”
The investigation is ongoing.