A Michigan man has been arrested after allegedly driving more than 700 miles to Pennsylvania to set fire to the home of his ex-girlfriend's new online romantic interest who she had not met yet.
Harrison Jones' ex-girlfriend had begun an online relationship with a 21-year-old Pennsylvania man, whom she had yet to meet in person, CBS News reported.
Before the two could get together, Jones allegedly drove from his home in Rockford, Michigan, to the man's family residence with the intention of setting it on fire.
On February 10 at around 5:30 a.m., a fire broke out at a home in Bensalem. Six people inside, including elderly family members, were forced to escape, with some jumping from second-story windows.
All suffered injuries, including burns and smoke inhalation, with one person requiring two days of hospitalization. The family's two dogs perished in the blaze.
Surveillance footage captured a black vehicle driving through the area just before the fire, with a person seen approaching the home before fleeing moments before a large explosion engulfed the house in flames. Traffic cameras and automatic license plate readers tracked the car's movements from Michigan to Pennsylvania and back.
Authorities identified the car as belonging to Jones' family and later executed a search warrant at his home in Rockford. There, they allegedly found lock-picking tools, a burn treatment kit and Jones himself with fresh burn injuries on his arm.
Additionally, his father informed police that a tracking app on Jones' phone reportedly placed him in Pennsylvania just two hours after the fire started.
Jones initially denied any involvement but was arrested and now faces multiple felony charges, including six counts of attempted criminal homicide, four counts of arson and other related offenses.
Originally published on Latin Times
