Man arrested for setting a house on fire in Clay County

CLAY COUNTY, Ind. (WTWO/WAWV) — A man has been arrested on four charges after setting a house on fire in Clay County on Saturday.

According to the Clay County Sheriff’s Office, deputies were dispatched to a home regarding a reported arson. A woman had stated that an ex-boyfriend had broken into the home and started a fire. A family member was reportedly inside the home when the incident occurred.

Deputies arrived, along with firefighters from the Cory Volunteer Fire Department, and found the house actively burning. The family member was able to escape the home as the fire spread.

Authorities state that, while searching the area, a Clay County Deputy located the suspect walking away from the scene. During an interview, the suspect admitted to igniting the fire with malicious intent.

The suspect, identified as David Gibson, was arrested and transported to the Clay County Jail.

Gibson was preliminarily charged with the following offenses:

The Indiana State Fire Marshal’s Office has been contacted regarding the incident. Additional charges are being forwarded to the prosecutor’s office for review.