13-Year-Old Charged In Chattanooga Fire Spree

A juvenile is facing multiple charges for allegedly setting a string of fires in the Woodmore area of Chattanooga. The 13-year-old, who is not being identified because of his age, is accused of setting fire to two homes, a trash can, two cars and attempting to set fire to a third vehicle in the same neighborhood on Tuesday night. Members of CFD Investigations Division were called to the 700 block of Sylvan Avenue around 6 PM on 9/6/22. Engine 15 personnel had responded to a fully involved vehicle fire and extinguished it. They quickly learned that there was much more involved to the case and notified investigators. A trash can fire was located in front of another residence on Sylvan Avenue and then a neighbor informed authorities that the back of his car had been on fire at his home on Sylvan Avenue. On nearby Aubrey Avenue in the 800 block, a fire was set on the front porch of a home causing minor damage, but there were people inside the structure at the time of the arson. At another occupied house in the 800 block of Aubrey Avenue, a fire was set on the front steps leaving charring. A neighbor across the street knocked on the windows and doors to alert the occupants and stomped the fire out. A witness said she was eating dinner inside her Aubrey Avenue residence when she looked out her door and saw her neighbor’s porch on fire. She spotted the suspect bent down next to a dark gray car and getting ready to set it on fire. She yelled at him and he ran and jumped over a fence. Chattanooga police officers responded, combed the area and found the juvenile hiding behind a house on East Avenue. He was taken into custody as investigators processed the different scenes, spoke to victims and witnesses, and pieced the chain of incidents together. The teen has been charged with two counts of Attempted Aggravated Arson and four counts of Setting Fire to Personal Property. He was interviewed at CFD Fire Administration with a parent present, arrested and booked into the Juvenile Detention Center.

“We appreciate the assistance of the Chattanooga Police Department in apprehending this young suspect before any further damage could be done and we are very glad no one was injured in the series of fires,” said Captain Henry McElvain, the lead investigator on the case.

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