A Michigan man has been arrested after police mentioned he drove over 700 miles to set fireplace to the Pennsylvania residence of a person who had communicated along with his ex-girlfriend on-line.
The Bensalem Police Division mentioned 21-year-old Harrison Jones, of Rockford, Mich., was arrested for setting fireplace to a house with six individuals inside.
The individuals inside have been hospitalized, whereas the household’s two canines, Trey and Jett, have been unable to flee the house and died.
Officers mentioned the individuals inside the house have been in a position to escape due to the mother, who heard suspicious noises, earlier than discovering the hearth and evacuating her household, including that some relations even needed to soar out of second-story home windows to flee the flames.
“It’s a miracle all of them survived,” Bensalem Public Security Director William McVey mentioned throughout a Monday morning press convention. “And we credit score the mom of that home for taking the actions she did to guard her household and be certain that all of them lived.”
Bensalem Fireplace Rescue and Bensalem Police Detectives started investigating the reason for the hearth, and decided that the hearth gave the impression to be “deliberately set and incendiary in nature.”
Officers mentioned the one lead within the case was a grainy picture of a black sedan from a neighbor’s surveillance system.
The video captured a automobile pulling as much as the house round 5 a.m. that morning. A suspect is seen exiting the automobile, strolling in direction of the again of the house, the place officers say he stayed for over ten minutes, earlier than he’s seen operating away from the home and dashing off.
About 30 seconds later, video exhibits an explosion erupting as the home goes up in flames.
Two days after the hearth, investigators have been in a position to hint the automobile again to Jones, receive an arrest warrant, and take him into custody.
Investigators added that Jones additionally had obvious burns on his arm.
Officers confirmed that Jones is the ex-boyfriend of a lady from Michigan who had been in an internet relationship with a male resident within the Bensalem home since 2023. Nevertheless, a motive for the hearth continues to be being investigated.
Courtroom paperwork obtained by FOX 29 Philadelphia say Jones was imagined to drive his ex-girlfriend to satisfy the person she was speaking with in Bensalem, to an area lodge within the close to future. As an alternative, investigators say he drove to Bensalem on his personal with “murderous intentions.”
“He drove over 730 miles, 11 hours, to do what he did after which drove instantly again residence,” McVey mentioned throughout the press convention.
Officers mentioned Jones is charged with six counts of tried murder, arson and associated offenses. He’s at the moment awaiting extradition again to Pennsylvania.
In line with a GoFundMe web page, the household, recognized as “Andrew and Stacy Zalenski, together with their two kids, Alex and Ava, and Stacy’s dad and mom, Joe and Karen Wendowski, misplaced the whole lot.”
“Our relations are at the moment going by means of a horrendous time of their lives. When you have animals, you recognize they’re part of your loved ones, and so they meant the whole lot to this household,” the put up reads.
“Stacy tried to do the whole lot she might to avoid wasting them, risking her life going again into the burning residence however wanted to leap out of the second story window as a result of she felt herself shedding consciousness.”
The member of the family who created the GoFundMe web page added that the Zalenski household has “been by means of a lot inside the previous three years, with Stacy combating a protracted, onerous battle with most cancers and now shedding their residence.”
“They’re a gracious, loving, caring, beneficiant household, and no one deserves to undergo the whole lot that they’ve been by means of. It has been onerous sufficient coping with most cancers and Stacy virtually shedding her life a number of occasions, to now shedding their beloved canines, treasured reminiscences, and the whole lot they personal and have labored so onerous for over time.”
“It is a household’s worst nightmare to be asleep of their residence, not realizing {that a} stranger broke into their residence, and tried to take their lives by setting their residence on fireplace,” Bucks County District Lawyer Jennifer Schorn advised FOX 29.
“This household suffered such inconceivable loss. This defendant’s actions are incomprehensible, and he can be held accountable.”
Along with the GoFundMe, a member of the family additionally began a fundraiser with the Philadelphia Animal Welfare Society to honor their reminiscence. A PAWS spokesperson advised FOX 29 they plan to create a plaque to dedicate one in all their kennels to Trey and Jett for his or her heroism.
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