Man Arrested In Trailer Arson
03/21/10 - 04:13 PM
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One man is in jail and another man is lucky to be alive after a late-night arson.  Just after midnight on Sunday, Grand Junction Police and Fire Crews were called to the Le Master Hotel located at 2858 North Avenue for report of a trailer fire.  Police have arrested 53 year-old Alan Tawney in connection with the arson.  Authorities say Tawney had been drinking heavily at the Motel when he began arguing with two other men.  Lance Rhodes was one of the men who during the argument said he was heading to his camper in the back of the motel.  Minutes later, Rhodes woke up to smoke.  One neighbor saw it all unfold.

“I opened the back door and there were flames coming over the roof of the motel,” explained Justin Rich.

Rich ran outside to find a camper on fire and his neighbor, Alan Tawney, walking away. 

“Allen, the resident in seven, coming around the corner with a jug,” said Rich.

The jug was filled with gasoline that Tawney had splashed all over the trailer and lit on fire. 

“There was somebody sleeping inside the trailer at the time,” said Sgt. Dave Stassen.

Lance Rhodes made it out of the camper and extinguished the flames.  But when police arrived they say Tawney put up a fight. 

“Before he was transported to the jail, he kicked out one of the windows in the patrol car and shattered it,” said Stassen.

But that’s not all; there were more problems on the way to the jail.  “He was able to get his legs out of the restraints and tried to kick out the other window,” Stassen explained.

Rich says he never expected Tawney to act in rage, “It’s spooky you know,” said Rich, especially so close to his young kids.  “My role as a father to make sure they’re safe and it’s kind of a spooky neighborhood.”

Tawney faces 1st degree arson charges, criminal mischief and reckless endangerment.  Investigators are still looking into the estimated damage of the trailer.  The patrol car damage will cost over $1,000.

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