GARDNER, Kan. (KCTV) – A Gardner man is being held on a $500,000 bond after allegedly raping an individual and then setting a house on fire.
After police in Gardner alerted the public to a Tuesday night house fire in the area of Heather and Zachary Drive at 1199 E. Santa Fe for an arson investigation, Eric Payne was taken into custody in Johnson County.
Payne was arrested early Wednesday morning and is being held in the Johnson County Detention Center. He’s charged with felony rape, aggravated arson and aggravated battery for an incident on Tuesday, Feb. 18, 2025.
Gardner Police said Tuesday officers located and were able to successfully rescue a woman from the fire and she was taken to a local hospital where she was in stable condition…