Police Arrest Man In Connection With String Of Beaver Falls Arsons
BEAVER FALLS (KDKA) - Police have arrested a man accused in a string of arsons that had neighbors on edge in Beaver Falls.
Since the end of August, more than a dozen vacant properties in Beaver Falls and White Township have been set on fire.
Another home was set on fire around 9 p.m. Monday in the 2200-block of S. 10th Avenue in White Township. A few hours after the fire, police arrested 21-year-old Zachary Metcalf of Beaver Falls. He had to turn his clothes over to investigators at the police station as evidence.
Police say Metcalf admitted to setting nine fires in Beaver Falls and also two others in White Township. Officials there will file their own charges against him.
As firefighters were putting out the latest fire Monday night, police began canvassing the area.
Brenda Waters reports:
"One of our patrol officers noticed the subject walking out of an abandoned building not too far from the fire that took place last night," said Chief Charles Jones, of Beaver Falls Police.
Latoya Young said Sunday night her daughter heard a man talking and then a car speeding away right before they smelled smoke.
"It's strategic," said Young. "These abandoned houses, they were doing them at first, it seemed like, not near where people live, and then Sunday night, this was obviously very close to my home."
Police did not reveal a motive and believe at this time Metcalf acted alone. The fire chief said one of the biggest stresses over the last month was the question from some residents about whether the arsonist was a firefighter.
"Obviously, our police department had to investigate that. I'm relieved, you can't imagine how relieved I am, that the individual arrested was not part of any fire department, never was," said Chief Mark Stowe, of the Beaver Falls Fire Department.
Metcalf has been charged with arson and was arraigned by video on the charges early this morning.
More than a dozen homes have been destroyed by this arson spree, but luckily, no injuries were reported at any of these fires. Just this past weekend, four homes in the Beaver Falls area were set on fire.
Metcalf was unable to post the $250,000 bond set early this morning. He's due back in court Oct. 9.
He is facing nine counts of arson and one count of criminal trespass.
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