Arson

A Pierceton woman was arrested Thursday morning after police found her in the driveway, watching her home burn. A Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Department news release indicates police were called just after 10 a.m. by the woman’s husband. He was concerned she was damaging their house at 5563 East C.R. 750 South and she no longer responded to his phone calls. When police arrived, they found Callie Deeter, 43, in her driveway watching smoke rise from the back of her house.

The Elkhart County Sheriff's Department says a fire that destroyed a popular Elkhart County bar earlier this month has been ruled arson. CLICK HERE TO SEE PHOTOS FROM THE FIRE "My Dad's Place" on State Road 19 near Simonton Lake was consumed by fire on January 13.  About 25 people lost their jobs. The sheriff's department tells us the investigation is ongoing. They are shifting their attention now on looking for the fire's cause. On the 16th the owner, Sandy Rogers, told WSBT she was focusing her energy on getting the bar back in business.

Police have arrested and charged two men with arson, following a fire at the Niles F0P Lodge last month. Kyle Kelley, 19, and Gary Nellans II, 25, now face auto theft and arson charges. When crews arrived at the lodge, they found the building and a car parked under an overhang engulfed in flames. That car was found to be stolen. Police say leads and evidence from the scene helped them identify the suspects. Kelley was arrested yesterday in Cass County, Michigan.

HARWICH, Mass. (AP) - Police in Massachusetts say two homeless men were offered money to burn down a rental house on Cape Cod but instead turned in the man who approached them. Harwich and state police arrested 26-year-old Benjamin Parker on Saturday, charging him with attempted arson, conspiracy, and possession of an explosive or dangerous device. He is scheduled to be arraigned Monday in Orleans District Court. Authorities allege Parker approached two homeless men in Boston last week and asked them if they wanted to make $1,100 by burning down a house.

The man charged with burning down the tower at Ox Bow Park has pleaded guilty. The Elkhart County Prosecutor's Office says Mitchell Birr pleaded guilty to a class B felony and faces up to 20 years in prison when he is sentenced next month. The tower burned down last July. Park board members announced earlier this year they were working on raising the money needed to build a new tower.

EDWARDSBURG — It took authorities just 48 hours to determine the Oct. 26 fire that destroyed Legends Sports Bar & Grill had been intentionally set. Five months later, that determination is facing a challenge. One who has questioned it from the beginning is Edwardsburg Fire Chief Harold "Willie" Eltzroth. "I've never ruled it as such. ... I put down 'undetermined,'" he said. "The place had a history of wiring problems, I can tell you that. And if it was set, they didn't use any accelerant, as far as I could determine.

NILES - Arson is suspected in a pair of house fires this morning that heavily damaged the vacant properties in the 400 block of North Fourth Street in Niles. Niles Fire Chief Larry Lamb labeled the blazes that broke out shortly after 9:30 a.m. “suspicious," adding the buildings at 404 and 410 N. Fourth Street both were ablaze when firefighters arrived. The houses are next door to one another. Police officers were seen checking footprints in the snow, and there were reports that witnesses saw someone leaving one of the houses shortly before flames were spotted.

BENTON HARBOR - We have an update to the arson at a Benton Harbor high rise. Police have made an arrest, and they say she admitted to starting the fire. 32-year-old Monica Smith turned herself in to police on Monday. Police say during questioning, she admitted to starting the fire Thursday night at the River Terrace High Rise Apartments. No one was hurt in the fire, but several apartments were damaged. Smith faces 2 felonies, one for arson and one for malicious destruction of property.

The Elkhart man convicted of burning down the Ox Bow County Park observational tower last year has been sentenced to three years in work release and nine years of probation. Mitchell Birr, 19, pleaded guilty in August to the July 27, 2010 arson. He will also have to pay over $69,000 in restitution and perform 1,200 hours of community service. The tower, which was built in 1972, was a popular destination for park visitors.

There will be prison time for the woman who admitted she started a fire in Benton Harbor high rise. A judge sentenced Monica Smith to 10 to 20 years in prison for arson. The earliest she could be up for parole is 10 years. Smith told police she started the fire in on the sixth floor of the River Terrace apartments following an argument with a man who lived there. No one was hurt in the fire, but several apartments were damaged, and 9 families had to be relocated.

NILES - Arson is suspected in a pair of house fires this morning that heavily damaged the vacant properties in the 400 block of North Fourth Street in Niles. Niles Fire Chief Larry Lamb labeled the blazes that broke out shortly after 9:30 a.m. “suspicious," adding the buildings at 404 and 410 N. Fourth Street both were ablaze when firefighters arrived. The houses are next door to one another. Police officers were seen checking footprints in the snow, and there were reports that witnesses saw someone leaving one of the houses shortly before flames were spotted.

BENTON HARBOR - A woman has pleaded guilty to arson for a fire at a Benton Harbor high-rise last month that damaged several apartments. 32-year-old Monica Smith told police she started the fire in on the sixth floor of the River Terrace apartments following an argument with a man who lived there. No one was hurt in the fire, but several people had to find another place to stay that night. Smith is facing 2 felonies, one for arson and one for malicious destruction of property.

There will be prison time for the woman who admitted she started a fire in Benton Harbor high rise. A judge sentenced Monica Smith to 10 to 20 years in prison for arson. The earliest she could be up for parole is 10 years. Smith told police she started the fire in on the sixth floor of the River Terrace apartments following an argument with a man who lived there. No one was hurt in the fire, but several apartments were damaged, and 9 families had to be relocated.

BENTON HARBOR - We have an update to the arson at a Benton Harbor high rise. Police have made an arrest, and they say she admitted to starting the fire. 32-year-old Monica Smith turned herself in to police on Monday. Police say during questioning, she admitted to starting the fire Thursday night at the River Terrace High Rise Apartments. No one was hurt in the fire, but several apartments were damaged. Smith faces 2 felonies, one for arson and one for malicious destruction of property.

The Elkhart County Sheriff's Department says a fire that destroyed a popular Elkhart County bar earlier this month has been ruled arson. CLICK HERE TO SEE PHOTOS FROM THE FIRE "My Dad's Place" on State Road 19 near Simonton Lake was consumed by fire on January 13.  About 25 people lost their jobs. The sheriff's department tells us the investigation is ongoing. They are shifting their attention now on looking for the fire's cause. On the 16th the owner, Sandy Rogers, told WSBT she was focusing her energy on getting the bar back in business.

GOSHEN - An apartment house in Goshen caught fire around 8:30 Tuesday morning, and firefighters were quickly called to remove someone from the balcony of the building. Police are now ruling the fire an arson. The blaze was in the 100 block of S. 7th St. between Lincoln and Washington. The fire started in the kitchen and was contained to the 2nd floor of the older home that had been subdivided into an apartment house. When they arrived, firefighters found Lindsay Baker standing on the balcony of her upstairs unit.

SOUTH BEND - A new dog is offering local firefighters help in determining the cause of fires. Sadie recently joined the Southwest Central Fire Territory and Anita Shultz is part of its investigation team. Sadie is trained to detect more than a dozen different accelerants. She will be used to help determine if a fire is arson anywhere in a 200 mile radius, thanks to a $25,000 grant from State Farm. Sadie is a 16-month-old yellow lab mix, something common in arson dogs.

Two Goshen men were arrested Friday night as suspects in two arson fires in Goshen city parks and two vehicle arsons. Estimated damages from these arson fires exceeds $60,000. Arrested and preliminary charges against them: Nicholas Lynch, 20, of 204 Mount Vernon. Preliminary charges: Four counts of arson (Class B felonies) Jose Rangel, 18, of 631B Main St. Preliminary charge: One count of arson (Class B felony) Both Lynch and Rangel are being held without bond in the Elkhart County Jail.

Police have arrested and charged two men with arson, following a fire at the Niles F0P Lodge last month. Kyle Kelley, 19, and Gary Nellans II, 25, now face auto theft and arson charges. When crews arrived at the lodge, they found the building and a car parked under an overhang engulfed in flames. That car was found to be stolen. Police say leads and evidence from the scene helped them identify the suspects. Kelley was arrested yesterday in Cass County, Michigan.

We're learning new details about a developing story in Niles. Investigators have ruled Wednesday morning's fire at the Niles FOP lodge arson. They are now trying to figure out who's responsible. There was a burned car at the scene this morning and that is a key part of this investigation. That car was parked out in front of the building and should not have been there. A detective on scene told WSBT Wednesday morning that car was not there last night.    While crews did not find anything suspicious inside the car, they now know that's where the fire started and it then spread to the building.