A Carter County man faces an arson charge after police say he set fire to his own home.
Officers of the Carter County Sheriff’s Department arrested Justin McClemons, 26, 112 Hickory Hollow Road, Elizabethton, was arrested late Wednesday night and charged with arson and disorderly conduct.
Shortly after 11 p.m., CCSO Sgt. David Caldwell, Deputy Christian Carrier and Tennessee Constable Tim Lyons responded to a report of a possible structure fire at 112 Hickory Hollow Road, which is located off of Coal Chute Road.
“Upon our arrival we found Justin Lee McClemons standing outside his residence saying that his house was on fire,” Caldwell said. “He then said that he was the only one inside the house and he woke up to his house on fire.”
Caldwell said smoke was visible at the home but no flames could be seen.
“Upon entry to the home we observed a piece of notebook paper sticking out of a hole in the bathroom wall,” Caldwell said, adding the notebook paper was burning on the end that was sticking out of the wall. “I knocked the paper out of the wall with my flashlight and at that time Hampton Fire Department arrived on scene and opened the wall up exposing a can of carburetor cleaner, a can of spray paint, more notebook paper and a roll of paper towels that appeared to been set on fire as well, which caused a large amount of the smoke.”
Caldwell noted in his report that he saw a stack of notebook paper on the kitchen counter and a paper towel on the kitchen stove which matched those the firefighters had found inside the bathroom wall.
After officers and firefighters checked the inside of the home, Caldwell said they spoke with McClemons regarding the fire.
“Mr. McClemons was intoxicated and became very hostile toward officers when we were discussing the fire,” Caldwell said.