Investigators locate suspect in Bath-area arsons | Eastern North Carolina Now

    Earlier today, investigator Wesley Waters, with the Sheriff's Office, applied for and obtained warrants charging Todd Austin Jarvis, age 26, of Elliott Road in Bath, with six counts of Burning of Certain Buildings and four counts of Felony Breaking and Entering.

    The charges stem from the three fires on Free Union Church Road and the fire on Highway 264, reported on the night of Feb. 22; the fire at the Community Building on Highway 32 North, reported on Mar. 3; and the fire on Highway 99 North, reported on Sunday.

    Jarvis turned himself in at the Beaufort County Magistrate's Office, and was also served with a warrant obtained by the Washington County Sheriff's Office for the fire on Highway 32 South in Plymouth, reported on the night of Feb. 22. Jarvis was released after posting a $70,000 secured bond. He attributes his actions to emotional distress.

    Jarvis has been cooperating with investigators since a search warrant was served at his residence on Monday. The evidence collected during the search warrant led to Jarvis's arrest.

    There have been a total of seven suspected arsons in the Bath/Pinetown area since Feb. 22. The investigation into the remaining arsons is ongoing. The North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation was called in to assist in processing the fire scenes and to provide additional manpower for the numerous leads generated during the investigation.

    Anyone with information about any of these fires is asked to call Beaufort County Crime Stoppers at 252-974-6400 or the Beaufort County Sheriff's Office at 252-946-7111. Crime Stoppers will pay up to $1,000 for information leading to an arrest in these cases. Callers do not have to give their name to receive a reward.

Bath/Pinetown Fires:

On Feb. 22, at approximately 11:44 p.m., the Beaufort County Sheriff's Office received a report of a fire at an abandoned residence on Highway 264 near Jones Bridge Road. Firefighters with Bath and Pantego Volunteer Fire Departments responded to battle the blaze.

At approximately 11:49 p.m., an on-duty deputy who was responding to assist on Highway 264 located a second fire at an abandoned residence at 2830 Free Union Church Road in Pinetown. Pinetown and Bunyan Volunteer Fire Departments responded to fight the second fire.

While attempting to extinguish the fire at 2830 Free Union Church Road, firefighters received a report at approximately 12:14 a.m. of a third fire at 4204 Free Union Church Road. The property was a block structure used as a community fellowship club. Upon arrival, fire crews from Pinetown and Bunyan found fire through the roof of the building and began to fight the fire.

At approximately 12:20 a.m., firefighters that had been working to put out the fire on Highway 264 discovered a fourth fire at a storage barn on Free Union Church Road between Jones Bridge Road and Christian School Road. Bath and Pantego firefighters worked to extinguish that blaze. Investigators and extra deputies were called out to begin the investigation into the source of the fires in Beaufort County.

At 12:51 a.m., the Sheriff's Office received a report of a structure fire at an uninhabited residence at 10180 Highway 32 South in Washington County. Pinetown and Bunyan Volunteer Fire Departments and the Plymouth Fire Department responded to fight the fire.

On Mar. 3, at 5:21 a.m., the Sheriff's Office received a report of a strong gas smell at the Long Acre Community Building located at 23177 Highway 32 North in Plymouth. The Pinetown Volunteer Fire Department responded to the scene and discovered an open gas line and burned items inside the building.

On Sunday, at approximately 4:32 p.m., the Sheriff's Office received a report of an abandoned trailer fire on Highway 99 North in the Pungo Community. Pantego and Pungo Volunteer Fire Departments responded to the scene and put out the fire. Firefighters notified the Sheriff's Office that the fire was suspicious. Investigators responded to the scene and began to document and collect physical evidence.