ROCKFORD, Mich. — A Rockford man has been arrested for six counts of attempted homicide for burning down a house in Pennsylvania.
Harrison Jones of Rockford was arrested in Kent County for setting the fire Feb. 10 in Bensalem Township, Pa., a suburb of Philadelphia. He is awaiting extradition to Pennsylvania to face the charges — six counts of attempted criminal homicide, arson, risking catastrophe and other related offenses.
At 5:22 a.m. Feb. 10, the Bensalem Township Police Department and the Bensalem Volunteer Fire Department responded to a report of a house fire in the 5200 block of Merganser Way. Upon arriving at the scene, they discovered six adult residents who had evacuated from the home, some of whom had to jump from second-story windows to escape the flames.
Fire engulfed the two-story single-family home, which eventually was destroyed.
Two dogs died in the fire and the six adults were transported to nearby hospitals to be treated for injuries.
Detectives' investigation revealed that the fire appeared to have been intentionally set and incendiary in nature. Nearby home surveillance captured a black sedan as it passed the home and stopped at the intersection with Mallard Drive at 5:01 a.m. A person then exited the vehicle with an object, walked toward the home and 15 minutes later ran back to his waiting vehicle and left the area driving toward Portside Drive.
As the vehicle fled the area, smoke could be seen billowing from the rear yard of the home. Within 30 seconds there was a large explosion and the house was engulfed in flames.
The only lead in the case was the grainy image of the black sedan from the neighbor's surveillance camera. Detectives used township intersection cameras to identify and track the vehicle entering and exiting the township. While in Bensalem Township, the car passed through an intersection with Automated License Plate Readers and detectives learned that the 2021 black Volkswagen Passat had a Michigan registration.
The vehicle came back as being owned by Brian Jones of Rockford. An additional search of various license plate readers across Pennsylvania allowed detectives to track the vehicle traveling toward Bensalem Township before the fire and back toward Michigan after the fire.
Detectives interviewed residents of the home on Merganser Way. They discovered that a 21-year-old man living there had an online relationship with a woman who lived in Michigan and was supposed to come to Bensalem Township to meet him. The woman's ex-boyfriend was identified as Harrison Jones of Rockford, who lives at the same address as the owner of the Volkswagen Passat.
Detectives contacted the Kent County Sheriff’s Office and requested assistance with the investigation. The Kent County Sheriff’s Office obtained a search warrant for Harrison Jones' residence and seized the 2021 Volkswagen Passat, lock-picking devices, a cell phone and a computer. When the local deputies made contact with Harrison Jones, he also had what appeared to be burns on his arm.
Bensalem Township detectives contacted the Bucks County District Attorney’s office and received an arrest warrant for Harrison Jones, charging him with six counts of attempted criminal homicide, arson, risking catastrophe and other related offenses.
The Kent County Sheriff’s Office then arrested Harrison Jones and he is awaiting extradition back to Pennsylvania.
The incident remains under investigation by the Bensalem Township Police Department.
