Boy arrested, accused of arson

HARRISON TWP., Ohio (WDTN) - Neighbors stood and watched as Montgomery County deputies put two young wrists in handcuffs and led a 12-year-old boy to the back of a cruiser September 8, 2010. The boy is accused of setting two vacant homes on fire within a few hours. The arrest was made as Harrison Township firefighters battled a blaze at a vacant mobile home  in the 3900 block of North Trail.

"The neighbors played a (key role) in this," said Battalion Chief Sean McNeil, Harrison Township Fire. "They were observant. They smelled the smoke right away, and they called 911 right away."

Deputies said they're still looking for another boy who they believed helped to set the fires. Neighbors on North Trail said the boys had been a problem there for a while, and one said he saw them go into the mobile home.

"Ten or fifteen minutes later they came out and they kept looking back like they were waiting for something to happen," said witness Matt Jones. "Five minutes later I saw black smoke coming out of the trailer."

Deputies also accuse the boys of setting a fire a few hours earlier and less than a mile away from the second scene. A vacant home burned near the intersection of Woodland Hills Boulevard and Sherer Avenue.

"I blame the parents for most of the trouble because they don't even know where their kids are half the time," said neighbor Linda Knight.

Neighbors said they don't think the suspects realize how dangerous arson fires can be.

"If somebody gets hurt you can't go back. This isn't a video game, you can't start over and make it better," Jones said.

Deputies said the arrest sends a message that arson is not tolerated, no matter who you are.