An 18-year-old Whiteland firefighter is a suspect in a string of structural fires set early Wednesday morning in Johnson County.
Jake Dougherty was arrested on three charges of arson, a Level 4 felony. He was also arrested on charges of driving while intoxicated, possession of paraphernalia, possession of marijuana and consuming alcohol while under the age of 21.
The Needham teenager and Whiteland Community High School graduate joined the fire department in February, according to a Whiteland Fire Department news release. The department placed Dougherty on a five-day suspension with plans to pursue termination, the news release said.
The Franklin Police Department responded about 6:30 a.m. Wednesday to a report of a vehicle driving erratically on U.S. 31. Police stopped the vehicle and determined Dougherty was impaired. He was transported to Johnson Memorial Hospital, according to a news release from the Franklin Police Department.
Police noticed a strong gasoline odor coming from Dougherty and dark-colored soot all over his skin and clothing, according to the news release.
Because several structural fires were reported Wednesday morning in the area, officers investigated Dougherty as a suspect, the news release said. Through a series of interviews, detectives from multiple local agencies, the Indiana State Fire Marshall’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives ruled Dougherty a suspect in setting at least three of the fires at the following locations:
- Intersection of Campus Lane and Shirk Way St., Greenwood, around 2:44 a.m.
- 200 Block of Darrough Drive, Greenwood, around 4:24 a.m.
- Cul-de-sac of Wild Turkey Run, Whiteland, around 7:31 a.m.
Dougherty was released from the hospital, arrested and taken to the Johnson County jail, where he is held on $22,000 bond.
