A Cleveland man was arrested and jailed after being accused of trying to torch his own apartment.
63-year-old James Christopher Hughes was arrested on May 12 on one count of second-degree criminal damage to property. He’s accused of attempting to start a fire inside his 1,200 square-foot apartment on Campbell Street on April 29.
State arson investigators began searching for Hughes on May 4. They located him in a local hospital, says Brandon Wright with the Georgia Insurance and Safety Fire Commissioner’s office. After Hughes was released from the hospital, officials arrested him and booked him in the White County jail.
Investigators say the fire was set in a busted out hole in the wall between the apartment bedroom and bathroom. While it caused only minor damage, it could have been a catastrophe.
“This fire could have been very tragic due to the fact that people were home at the time that it was intentionally set,” says Insurance and Safety Fire Commissioner John King. “I’d like to say thank you to the local law enforcement officials that assisted in apprehending this suspect. Partnerships between state and local agencies play a vital role in solving these dangerous crimes.”
As of Thursday, May 14, Hughes remained in jail on a $5,000 bond.
