Latest news with #ETNhahn
Yahoo
04-04-2025
- Yahoo
Erie police: Man admits to setting fire that damaged East Seventh Street apartment house
An Erie man who lives at an East Seventh Street apartment house admitted to investigators that he intentionally set a fire Thursday morning that caused significant damage to the house, according to Erie police. Investigators said John H. Mease, 63, made his admission when he went to the Erie police station and turned himself in on Thursday morning, less than an hour after the Erie Bureau of Fire was sent to 411 E. Seventh St. to put out a reported structure fire. Mease told a city police detective he intentionally set fire to clothing in the closet of his second-floor room because he wanted to destroy the house and go to jail, according to information in his criminal complaint. The fire was reported shortly after 10 a.m. Thursday. Erie firefighters who responded to the two-unit house found fire in the second floor, fire officials reported. The fire was confined to one room but spread slightly into the house's attic, according to city fire marshals. There were no injuries. The investigating city police detective wrote in the affidavit filed with the criminal complaint against Mease that Mease said he used a lighter to start a fire in the residence, where he has lived since July. Erie 3rd Ward District Judge Alison Scarpitti arraigned Mease Thursday evening on charges including felony counts of arson, reckless burning, risking a catastrophe and criminal mischief. Scarpitti set Mease's bond at $100,000. A lawyer for Mease was not listed on his criminal docket sheet Friday. East Erie blaze: Man and woman critically injured, 3 pets die in house fire at east Erie residence A Harborcreek Township man accused in an April 2024 fire on Poplar Street in which a truck was destroyed and two neighboring houses were damaged was held for court Friday morning on all charges in the Erie police case. Scarpitti held Ryan R. Mook, 43, for court on charges including arson and risking a catastrophe, as well as a first-degree felony count of causing a catastrophe that prosecutors added before the start of Mook's preliminary hearing Friday morning. Mook remains free on unsecured bond. Erie police accuse Mook of setting fire to a Chevrolet Silverado in the 400 block of Poplar Street on the morning of April 26, 2024. The fire caused damage to two nearby houses, authorities reported. Erie police initially charged Mook in the fire in November, but prosecutors withdrew the dharges in early February after a witness failed to attend a scheduled hearing. The charges were refiled in early March. Contact Tim Hahn at thahn@ Follow him on X @ETNhahn. This article originally appeared on Erie Times-News: Man charged after Erie police said he admits to setting house fire
Yahoo
14-02-2025
- Yahoo
Erie police charge city man in more vehicle thefts, thefts from vehicles in city
An Erie man charged earlier this month with stealing a sport-utility vehicle and damaging another vehicle in a January break-in is now accused of stealing two more vehicles in the city, along with a gun taken from a vehicle. Raezharion S. Noble, 20, is now being held on bonds totaling $120,500 following his recent arraignments on charges in four criminal cases filed by the Erie police. Those cases were filed after Noble was initially charged by Erie police on Feb. 5 with stealing a Mitsubishi Outlander from the 2600 block of Chestnut Street on the early morning of Jan. 22 and driving it to another location in the city, where police accuse him of breaking into another vehicle and stealing items from it before later abandoning the stolen SUV. Noble had been in the Erie County Prison on 10% of $5,000 bond in the initial case before the new sets of charges were filed against him. Recent crime statistics: Erie police chief: Gun crime numbers remain low in city as homicides, people shot drop City police detectives accuse Noble in the new cases of stealing a firearm from a vehicle in the 900 block of East Eighth Street on Dec. 13; stealing a 2009 Hyundai Sonata from the 600 block of West Fifth Street before abandoning it in another part of the city on Dec. 21; and stealing a Volkswagen Tiguan in the 1100 block of Atkins Street on Jan. 11 before abandoning it in another part of the city. Investigators said the Volkswagen's keys were taken from another vehicle parked near it, and cash was also taken from the other vehicle. Detectives additionally accuse Noble of attempting to enter three vehicles parked in the 600 block of West Fifth Street and two vehicles and a garage in the 800 block of Poplar Street on the early morning of Jan. 29. Investigators said they identified Noble as a suspect in all of the crimes through surveillance video and evidence collected during a police search of his residence on Feb. 5. Contact Tim Hahn at thahn@ Follow him on X @ETNhahn. This article originally appeared on Erie Times-News: Vehicle thefts, stealing from cars: Erie police charge city man
Yahoo
08-02-2025
- Yahoo
Lack of witness leads prosecutors to drop charges against Harborcreek man in Erie fire
A Harborcreek Township man accused by Erie police of setting a fire that damaged a truck and two houses had his criminal case withdrawn on Thursday after the Erie County District Attorney's Office said a witness in the case failed to appear for a scheduled hearing. Prosecutors withdrew felony counts of arson, reckless burning, risking a catastrophe and criminal mischief against 43-year-old Ryan R. Mook at his preliminary hearing Thursday afternoon. Erie police filed the charges on Nov. 23 following an investigation into an April 26 fire in the 400 block of Poplar Street. Investigators accused Mook of setting fire to a Chevrolet Silverado, with the fire spreading to and damaging two neighboring houses. More: Erie police: Reported spat over plumbing payment fueled arson that damaged truck, houses Detectives wrote in the criminal complaint against Mook that the truck's owner said he had a dispute with Mook over payment for plumbing work at the owner's residence. Investigators also spoke to a witness who stated Mook admitted to setting a truck on fire because he was not paid what he deserved for a job, and reportedly drove the witness past the scene of the fire, according to information in the complaint's affidavit of probable cause. Contact Tim Hahn at thahn@ Follow him on X @ETNhahn. This article originally appeared on Erie Times-News: No witness leads DA to withdraw charges against man in Erie fire
