Police: Man sets house on fire, leads police on high-speed chase
By Sarah Metts
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EAST PENNSBORO TOWNSHIP, Pennsylvania (WGAL) — An early-morning house fire in Cumberland County that quickly turned into an arson investigation led to one man facing more than 50 charges.
On Tuesday, East Pennsboro Township Police arrested William Kurtz after they say he set a home in the 1100 block of 2nd Street on fire and led them on a high-speed chase.
The affidavit of probable cause says Kurtz doused the perimeter of the house in gasoline before setting fire to it.
More than 10 people were inside at the time.
One resident told News 8’s Sarah Metts he first noticed the flames out his window just after 1 a.m. He said he made sure everyone got out safely before then trying to put the fire out with buckets of water, and an extinguisher.
Fire crews say everyone did make it out safely.
Investigators quickly identified a Kurtz as a suspect, according to the affidavit.
Kurtz left the home in his truck, which officers say they spotted at a nearby Sheetz. Police say when they went to stop him, he took off at a high rate of speed toward Harrisburg.
Police say Kurtz led them to an area commonly known as “Tent City” where he took off on foot into the woods. They had to tase Kurtz multiple times to take him into custody.
Kurtz is facing more than 50 charges in connection to the incident, including arson and evading police.
Documents say Kurtz admitted to setting the house on fire, saying he didn’t want to harm anyone, just wanted to scare them because someone who lived there owed him money.
Police found an opened bottle of vodka inside his truck along with a single-shot shotgun.
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