McClain Charged with Setting Third Fire
Former Eldred Township and Borough firefighter Scott McClain has been charged and jailed in connection with another arson in Eldred Township.
State police fire marshals Greg Agosti and Martin Henneman arrested the 39-year-old McClain after completing their investigation of a fire at the Koch Farm House at the end of Carpenter Creek Road off of Stack Hollow Road. The fire happened July 23, 2009.
Police say "serial arsonist" McClain took his son to the farm, lit a road flare and put it on the porch of the house. He then dropped his son off at their house and went to the fire hall. When no fire was called in, he returned to the house, picked up his son and drove back to the farm, where he discovered the flare had burned out without catching the house on fire.
McClain went back home, got some gasoline, went back to the farm with his son, poured gas on the porch and lit another road flare. He then went home again.
“After a while, he told his son to tell his mother that he thought he saw smoke coming from up the valley,” the police report says.
McClain and his wife then drove up the road to a point where they could see that the farm house was on fire. Lisa McClain called 911 and reported the fire.
Scott McClain is charged with arson endangering persons, a first-degree felony; attempted arson endangering property and attempted arson, second-degree felonies; criminal mischief, a third-degree felony; and corruption of minors, a first-degree misdemeanor. He was arraigned by District Judge Bill Todd this afternoon and sent to McKean County Jail on $250,000 bail.
McClain has already been charged with setting fires at the Eldred Township fire station on August 6, 2009, and the Eldred Borough fire station on October 19, 2009.
The McKean County Arson Task Force is stilling investigating several fires that have occurred during the past few years in the Eldred area. Anyone with pertinent information is asked to contact state police.
fax from Agosti and Henneman
State police fire marshals Greg Agosti and Martin Henneman arrested the 39-year-old McClain after completing their investigation of a fire at the Koch Farm House at the end of Carpenter Creek Road off of Stack Hollow Road. The fire happened July 23, 2009.
Police say "serial arsonist" McClain took his son to the farm, lit a road flare and put it on the porch of the house. He then dropped his son off at their house and went to the fire hall. When no fire was called in, he returned to the house, picked up his son and drove back to the farm, where he discovered the flare had burned out without catching the house on fire.
McClain went back home, got some gasoline, went back to the farm with his son, poured gas on the porch and lit another road flare. He then went home again.
“After a while, he told his son to tell his mother that he thought he saw smoke coming from up the valley,” the police report says.
McClain and his wife then drove up the road to a point where they could see that the farm house was on fire. Lisa McClain called 911 and reported the fire.
Scott McClain is charged with arson endangering persons, a first-degree felony; attempted arson endangering property and attempted arson, second-degree felonies; criminal mischief, a third-degree felony; and corruption of minors, a first-degree misdemeanor. He was arraigned by District Judge Bill Todd this afternoon and sent to McKean County Jail on $250,000 bail.
McClain has already been charged with setting fires at the Eldred Township fire station on August 6, 2009, and the Eldred Borough fire station on October 19, 2009.
The McKean County Arson Task Force is stilling investigating several fires that have occurred during the past few years in the Eldred area. Anyone with pertinent information is asked to contact state police.
fax from Agosti and Henneman
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