Nearby Resident Charged with Fallon Hotel Arsons
James Arnold Brown, 52, of 216 E. Water St., was arrested by city police Wednesday and charged with arson, risking a catastrophe, criminal mischief and recklessly endangering another person. He was arraigned before District Judge Keith Kibler and remanded to the Clinton County Correctional Facility in default of $150,000 bail.
City police made the arrest after Brown allegedly set fire to a chair at the residence of a neighbor, David Nestlerode of 222 E. Water St. At his arraignment Brown said he had served time in Camp Hill for his role in an arson case in that community. Reports said he had also done time locally for arson at Kephart Plaza last summer.
At the time of the Fallon fires last Sunday, city fire chief Bob Neff had said, “Someone is trying to burn down the Fallon Hotel.” Investigators determined the fires had been intentionally set at the rear of the pre-Civil War era hotel, vacant and shut down since last winter.
