By Cliff Hightower
Chattanooga Times Free Press (Tennessee)
RHEA COUNTY, Tenn. — A former Rhea County volunteer firefighter who was charged last year with setting a Spring City, Tenn., trailer ablaze now faces more arson charges, authorities said Thursday.
Michael Wayne Stricklan, 24, of Rockwood, Tenn., was arrested Wednesday night on charges of aggravated arson, arson, violation of probation and theft of property, records show.
Mr. Stricklan had served as a volunteer firefighter with the Pine Grove Volunteer Fire Department near Spring City.
Rhea County Fire Chief Billy Cranfield said Thursday that Mr. Stricklan was fired after the Rhea County grand jury indicted him in October on arson charges.
“He’s been gone for a while,” Chief Cranfield said.
Mr. Stricklan has been arrested twice more on arson charges since October, records show.
Shannon Ashford, spokeswoman for the state Department of Commerce and Insurance, said Thursday that Mr. Stricklan was free on bond Wednesday in an arson charge stemming from a March 10 indictment in Roane County.
Ms. Ashford said she did not know details of that case.
“Our department led an investigation for over five years that led to that indictment,” she said.
Assistant District Attorney Jim Pope said Mr. Stricklan has a court date April 11 in Rhea County in the October indictment.
He said the case involves an August 2007 fire at a mobile home off U.S. Highway 27 near Spring City. No one was inside the home at the time, he said.
The arrest this week came after authorities said witnesses saw Mr. Stricklan set fire to two homes with gasoline and a lighter Monday night in Rockwood. One home was occupied and the other was empty, according to an affidavit of complaint.
No one was injured, officials said.
Mr. Stricklan’s wife, Crystal Stricklan, 23, was also arrested after she reportedly interfered with investigators as they took her husband into custody. She is charged with disorderly conduct and assault, records show.
Mr. Stricklan is being held in the Roane County Jail with bond set at $80,500, jail records show. He could face 15 to 25 years in prison if convicted on the aggravated arson charges, officials said.
Copyright 2008 Chattanooga Publishing Company