YORK, Maine — A York man is being held on $5,000 bail and ordered to undergo a competency hearing after he was arrested on arson charges following a fire at his home on Friday night.
Stephen J. Driscoll, 61 is being held at York County Jail on two counts of arson arising from the 11:29 p.m. fire.
According to police, Officer Scott Study was on routine patrol when he passed the house, saw a glow that looked like a fire and decided to investigate. He found Driscoll on a porch with a lighter in his hand trying to set a Venetian blind afire.
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Inside the house, Study allegedly found ash on a table, from paperwork that Driscoll had apparently set ablaze. That is why Driscoll was charged with two counts of arson, for the two separate fires.
York Beach firefighters responded, as did York Village, and the fire was brought under control quickly. As a precaution, Kittery covered for York Beach and South Berwick covered for the Village. A dog inside the residence was transported to Creature Comforts.
The state fire marshal was called to the scene, as is the practice when a suspicious fire is called in.
According to assessing records, the house is owned by the Stephen J. Driscoll Trust, with Timothy Driscoll of New Castle, New Hampshire as the trustee. Police said Timothy Driscoll is a brother.