Over the weekend, fire broke out at a house on Mount Vernon Road. The Wayne County Sheriff’s Office has announced the arrest of an Albion man for allegedly setting the house on fire. According to Sheriff Chris Otey, deputies took in 18-year-old Mikkel J. Pierce.
On Saturday around 5:44 PM, emergency crews responded to a structure fire at 908 Mount Vernon Road. According to deputies, the home was unoccupied and utilities were disconnected. On scene, a witness told authorities that 15 minutes before crews were on scene, a man wearing a black hoodie and jeans exited the home pulling a wagon and heading eastbound. A short time after, deputies located Pierce pulling a wagon on Summer Street, a couple blocks north of the fire scene.
When questioning Pierce on where he was coming from and what he was doing. he responded that he had just gotten out of the hospital after a suicide attempt and was looking for his sister’s house and he was lost. Deputies say that when asked about the contents in the wagon, he told authorities he had the contents with him in the hospital. Deputies ask about Pierce’s hands and he responds according to the police report eventually that items in the wagon were from the burning house.
During a search of the contents in the wagon, deputies found a small amount of meth in a box. Pierce became combative with deputies. Fairfield Police, also assisting, took Pierce into the squad car and transported him to the Wayne County Jail.
During questioning at the Sheriff’s office, officials say that Pierce admitted to deputies that he started the fire after he got out of the hospital. He further told authorities he gathered clothes and other items because he had nothing. Deputies asked how he started the fire and he admitted to authorities, according to the police report, that he started the fire with newspapers and a makeshift fuse so he could get out before the fire stated. When asked by deputies why, records say he pointed to his head and started he isn’t right.
Pierce faces charges of resisting or obstructing a peace officer, firefighter, or a correctional institution employee, possession of methamphetamine, residential burglary, and residential arson. He is being held at the Wayne County Jail.
In records obtained by WFIW News thru Judici, Pierce was served with an order of protection on September 7th in Edwards County. The court in Edwards County is set to take that up in court this Friday according to records on Judici.