Warren man charged with arson

Staff report

WARREN

Kemari James, 19, of 1725 Oak Street Southwest was arraigned Friday in Warren Municipal Court on four counts of aggravated arson after police accused him of setting fire to a house at 625 Oak Circle Southwest earlier in the day.

A judge in Warren Municipal Court entered an innocent plea to the charges and set bond at $500,000. James returns to court at 1:30 p.m. Thursday.

Firefighters were called to the Oak Circle address at 1:22 a.m. and extinguished the fire. No injuries were reported.

Ken Nussle, Warren fire chief, said it is believed James started the fire by throwing something flammable through a window and into the kitchen.

It is believed the incident is related to a domestic dispute James was having with a female who lives at the Oak Circle address, Nussle said.

An occupant of the house told police she was baby-sitting when she heard the kitchen window break and saw the kitchen burst into flames. She also saw James just outside of the home, she said.

Police arrested James at a house on Fourth Street Southwest after a tip. Police could smell gasoline through the open windows of James’ car, they said.