Local News

Arson suspect arrested by Franklin Police while driving erratically on US 31

A Johnson County traffic stop resulted in the arrest of an arson suspect.

 

Around 6:30 am Wednesday Franklin Police Department officers responded to a traffic investigation involving a red Dodge Avenger driving erratically on US 31. An officer identified the vehicle in question and conducted a traffic stop. Through the course of the officer’s investigation the driver was determined to be impaired.

 

The suspect was identified as Jake Dougherty, 18, of Needham.  Dougherty was transported to Johnson Memorial Hospital for further examination. During this time officers noticed the odor of gasoline coming from Dougherty. Dougherty also had dark colored soot all over his skin and clothing. Due to recent events involving structural fires in the area, officers contacted the Franklin Police Department Investigations division for further investigation.  During the course of the investigation and interviews, detectives determined there were in fact four structure fires in total that morning, including:

           

Intersection of Campus Lane & Shirk Way Street – Greenwood, around 2:44 am

200 Block of Darrough Drive – Greenwood, around 4:24 am

Cul-de-sac of Wild Turkey Run - Whiteland, around 7:31 am

2000 Block of Byerly Place - Greenwood, 7:59 am

 

The Byerly Place fire proved to not be connected to this investigation.

 

Franklin PD Detectives later responded to Johnson Memorial Hospital and transported Dougherty to the Franklin Police Department to be interviewed.  During the interview detectives developed probable cause to believe that Dougherty was in fact the suspect involved in setting the structure fires to at least three of the four known locations.

  

Dougherty was placed under arrest and remanded over to the Johnson County Sherriff’s Office on counts of:

           

OWI – A Misdemeanor

Possession of Paraphernalia – C Misdemeanor

Possession of Marijuana – B Misdemeanor

Consumption of Alcohol by a Minor under 21 – C Misdemeanor

Arson x 3 – Level 4 Felony

 

This investigation and ensuing arrest were the result of investigation and interviews by the following agencies: The City of Franklin Police Department, The Greenwood Fire Department, The Greenwood Police Department, The Johnson County Sheriff’s Office, The Whiteland Fire Department, The Indiana State Fire Marshall’s Office and the ATF.

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