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Last updated on Wednesday, April 9, 2014
(JASONVILLE) - A Jasonville police officer apprehended a Linton man he saw running from the scene of a house that was set late Sunday night - Sgt. Brian Pilant was in the right place at the right time.
28-year-old Ryan Daniel Powell is accused of setting fire to the exterior of a home on North Washington Street in Jasonville shortly before 11 p.m. Sunday.
Sgt. Pilant was sitting in his patrol car in front of his own home when he noticed Powell running away from another home in the same neighborhood towards a vehicle that had stopped.
When Pilant stepped out of his patrol car, the other vehicle sped off. That is when he noticed the fire at the side of the house. The officer called in the fire and then pursued the vehicle.
The vehicle stopped after a short pursuit at the intersection of Gray and North Park streets. The female driver and Powell were ordered out of the vehicle.
Powell told police the woman did not know anything about the fire.
The female was released after being interviewed. She told police she thought she was taking Powell to look at a 4-wheeler. She let Powell out of the vehicle and the next thing she knew Powell ran back to the vehicle and yelled at her to "go". When she looked back, she saw the house on fire. Powell then told her he was sorry and that he loved her.
Police say Powell had an issue with the resident of the home and that is why he set the home on fire.
Powell was arrested and when he appeared in Greene Circuit Court Tuesday he was formally charged with arson.
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