Authorities say a Knoxville man set his own rental house on fire Tuesday night in the Halls area, leaving the home heavily damaged and himself sitting in jail on a six-figure bond.
The fire tore through a house at 3339 Long Hollow Road, causing major damage but sparing everyone inside, who managed to get out. Deputies arrested 48-year-old Phillip Brown, who was booked into the Knox County jail and is being held on a $100,750 bond ahead of a bond hearing scheduled for Friday.
Investigators say the blaze was no accident. A roommate told deputies he evacuated the home, then saw flames shooting through a window and smelled smoke. He also reported that earlier in the day, Brown had been talking about setting a fire and appeared to be in a manic-type episode, according to an arrest warrant and other court documents reviewed by WBIR.
Rural Metro crews found a large blaze
Rural Metro firefighters and Knox County deputies rolled out to the 3300 block of Long Hollow Road around 9 p.m. Tuesday and found a large fire chewing through the back of the home. Crews knocked down the flames, but the structure still suffered significant damage. No injuries were reported, according to WVLT.
Deputies say suspect ran, was tased
Not long after, deputies say they spotted Brown walking in the area of Pelleaux Road and Reflection Bay Drive. When an officer tried to turn around to contact him, Brown allegedly took off running. A deputy deployed a Taser twice before taking him into custody. He was booked on Wednesday on aggravated arson, evading arrest, and resisting charges, and his bond hearing is set for Friday, according to WBIR.
What the charge means
Under Tennessee law, aggravated arson is charged when someone sets a structure on fire while people are present or when anyone, including firefighters or officers, suffers serious bodily injury. It is treated as a Class A felony, which is about as serious as it sounds. The Tennessee code and legal guides outline the statute and sentencing ranges; see Justia and FindLaw for legal details and typical penalties…