SUNBURY — A teenager arraigned on arson and related charges Tuesday said he was trying only to extinguish the fire lit by his little brother.
Tyler William Hendricks, 19, of 452 N. Fourth St., was being held at the Northumberland County Prison in lieu of $100,000 cash bail set by District Judge Carl Rice. Along with three juveniles, he was arrested in connection with an attempt Monday to start a fire on the roof of the Dollar General Store on Market Street.
Hendricks, on probation with an array of past offenses, is charged with arson endangering persons, arson, risking catastrophe and criminal trespass, all felonies; and reckless endangerment, simple assault, and resisting arrest, all misdemeanors.
His preliminary hearing is set for 9 a.m. Sept. 9.
“I didn’t do anything,” he told Rice in court for his preliminary arraignment. “My little brother is the one that lit it. I just put it out.”
Police blocked off Market Street between Fourth and Fifth streets for more than an hour late Monday afternoon after Henricks and the three juveniles were spotted on the roof of the Clemmer Building, which houses the Dollar General Store.
City police officer Stephen Bennick said the three juveniles stated that Hendricks started a fire. The Sunbury Fire Department was dispatched to the roof and discovered a charred wooden board, a red and black lighter and 32- ounce container of charcoal lighter fluid.
One of the juveniles, in the presence of his father, told police he and the other three were at one of their homes when they decided to go to a fast-foot restaurant. There, one of them grabbed a lighter, he said. That person subsequently showed the lighter to Hendricks, Bennick said, and Hendricks suggested they go to the roof of the store.
After going up a stairway, Bennick reported, the youths entered a door. His report continued: “On the roof, Hendricks knocked out a board from a railing, soaked it with lighter fluid and used the lighter that was provided (by the other youth). After lighting the board, Hendricks threw the lighter fluid (to) an upper roof.
“The fire burnt out. Hendricks jumped to the bottom roof and was running around. Someone yelled that they were going to call the police.
Henricks threw the board down and fled the roof.”
Another one of the juveniles was interviewed in the presence of his father. His account was similar, in that he observed Hendricks twice light the board using the lighter fluid and lighter, Bennick said.
Both interviewed juveniles told police they fled from the adjacent parking lot because Hendricks was hiding in the bushes and told them to run.
An adjacent apartment building is occupied by about 30 tenants, Bennick reported.
The three juveniles were released to their parents. Hendricks has a police record dating to 2005, when he was charged with disorderly conduct. He has also faced traffic violations, retail theft charges, and pleaded guilty to criminal mischief in 2009, for which he is paying restitution.
In April he was charged with loitering and prowling at nighttime.
After hearing Rice set his cash bail, Hendricks said: “I can’t sleep in jail.”
-- E-mail comments to dianepetryk@ dailyitem.com.
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