From staff reports
An Oil City man is facing charges for setting fire to a bush beside a woman’s home in Sugarcreek Borough, endangering her and the house.
Franklin state police said in a criminal complaint they were called at about 11 p.m. Monday to a residence on Wilson Street where they found a large shrub next to the house had been burned. A lighter and charred garbage were found under the bush, the complaint said.
The woman who lived in the house said Thomas Scott, 47, had contacted her and asked if he could stay with her since he had been evicted from his home, the complaint said.
The woman told Scott to get out, and he told her he would kill her, then he went outside to wait for a ride, the complaint said.
The woman thought Scott was out in front of the house for a while before he left, the complaint said.
The woman told police the next thing she knew firefighters were pounding on her window telling her to get out of the house because there was a fire, the complaint said.
Scott was located by police at Sheetz in Franklin, and several lighters were found on his person, the complaint said.
He was arraigned Tuesday and placed in the Venango County jail after being unable to post bail.
His preliminary hearing is scheduled Wednesday in Central Court.
