Michigan man charged with aggravated arson

Point Pleasant Register, W.Va.
·2 min read

Jun. 21—POMEROY — A Michigan man has been charged with one count of aggravated arson in relation to a reported fire at the Meigs Motel, according to Meigs County Sheriff Keith Wood.

Via a news release, Wood stated his deputies were dispatched to a possible fire inside of a motel room on Laurel Woods Road on Thursday.

Upon arrival, deputies spoke with members of the Pomeroy Fire Department as well as Meigs Motel staff and reportedly discovered a fire had broken out in one of motel rooms, causing "severe fire damage."

"The subject staying in the room was identified as Chad Miller-Wiemuth, 29, of Michigan," Wood stated. "Deputies were informed that Miller-Wiemuth had fled the scene on foot prior to their arrival. Further information was received regarding the fire and the scene was being treated as an arson at that time."

Deputies searched the area and the woods surrounding the motel and initially were unable to locate Miller-Wiemuth. Deputies returned to the motel to finish processing the scene. Photographs were taken and video surveillance footage was received of the suspect reportedly fleeing the area.

Wood stated deputies continued searching the area when a passerby flagged down a deputy stating that a male wearing black shorts and no shirt had just emerged from the woods at another nearby business.

The news release further stated: "This was the exact description of the suspect's clothing in the surveillance video footage. Deputies proceeded down Laurel Woods Road and came across a subject fitting the clothing description and due to prior dealings with him, knew him to be Chad Miller-Wiemuth. Mr. Wiemuth initially gave a false name and false information to deputies regarding his identity before being truthful about who he was."

The news release continued, "Chad Miller-Wiemuth admitted to deputies that he had intentionally set the fire inside of the motel room and was placed under arrest for one count of Aggravated Arson, a felony of the first degree."

Miller-Wiemuth was transported to the Middleport Jail according to Sheriff Wood.

The Meigs County Sheriff's Office, the Pomeroy Fire Department and the Ohio State Fire Marshal's Office are currently investigating the case.

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