The chief of the Ellamore Volunteer Fire Department is facing a felony charge after allegedly setting fire to a cabin.
Jamie L. Pugh, 42, is charged with setting fire to the lands of another. His bond was set at $10,000 by Upshur County Magistrate Judge John Coffman.
According to the criminal complaint filed by Senior Natural Resources Police Officer T.R. Collins of the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources, on March 30, Pugh allegedly set fire to a cabin located on Little Sand Run Road that belonged to Ralph Joseph Parsons.
The report states that at approximately 2:01 p.m., Pugh drove up and down the road in his Dodge Durango, then stopped and exited his vehicle.
“Approximately 16 seconds later, smoke started from the spot (where) he stopped and exited his vehicle,” Collins wrote in the complaint, noting that a homeowner’s video recorded the incident.
Later, Pugh reportedly told officers he had seen the homeowner’s video and that his vehicle was in it, adding that he was having vehicle problems that caused the fire.