Beverly Hills man arrested in three arson cases
At 7:00 a.m., Citrus County Fire Rescue and deputies with the Citrus County Sheriff's Office (CCSO) were dispatched to Our Lady of Grace Catholic Church, located at 6 Roosevelt Blvd. in Beverly Hills, due to the report of a brush fire. A witness on scene told first responders that he saw a white male, wearing a black leather jacket and tan shorts, running across the parking lot toward the front of the church, and he watched as the man poured liquid from a gas can around a tree and a statue of Jesus Christ, and then set both on fire. Deputies checked videos from the church's surveillance cameras and observed a man, who matched the description given by the witness, attempting to light propane tanks (near the building) on fire.
During the day, the agencies received two other, similar calls for service. A fence on a S. Barbour St., Beverly Hills property was set on fire, and the front door and windows of the residence were covered in a liquid that was possibly gasoline. Citrus County Fire Rescue was also dispatched to a fire at a S. Wadsworth Ave., Beverly Hills residence, where firefighters arrived on scene to find flames coming from an open window. The house fire was extinguished, but caused major damage to the home, which was vacant at the time of the fire.
CCSO Community Crimes Detectives Helfritz and Hughes began an investigation into the three arson cases, and Harris was identified, thanks to the church's video surveillance. The CCSO appealed to the community for help, and he was located shortly before 10:00 pm.
During an interview, Harris confessed that he'd set all three fires. He was placed under arrest, charged with one felony count of arson to a dwelling, one count of misdemeanor criminal mischief, one felony count of arson to a church, and one misdemeanor count of criminal mischief to a church. He's in custody at the Citrus County Detention Facility, with his bond set at $36,000.
"Not only is arson dangerous, but in some cases can be deadly," said Citrus County Sheriff Mike Prendergast. "No one in our community was injured during Harris's tirade of inconceivable acts. I applaud our deputies, Community Crimes Detectives, and our partners at Citrus County Fire Rescue for working swiftly and diligently to keep our community safe from further harm. I would also like to thank our witnesses for coming forward so quickly with invaluable information that helped us solve this crime."