Amelia A. Pridemore
A Raleigh County man was jailed after sheriff’s detectives say he burned his girlfriend’s house down and told an off-duty State Police trooper he did it.
Joey Leroy Martin, 44, of Piney View, was charged with first-degree arson, Detective Sgt. Jim Bare said. Martin was being held Friday at Southern Regional Jail on $50,000 bond.
Around 10:30 p.m. Thursday, the Bradley-Prosperity Volunteer Fire Department was dispatched to the scene on Stanaford Road in Piney View. Chief Bruce James said a one-story house was fully engulfed in flames at the front. The house was declared a total loss. State fire marshals confirmed arson was the cause.
Martin had argued with his girlfriend, the house’s resident, earlier in the evening, Bare said. Martin shouted he would burn the house down and neighbors heard him. Martin’s girlfriend had left the house before the fire started.
While a crowd gathered around the burning house, Martin walked to a man in the crowd and told him he set the fire, Bare said. The man was an off-duty state trooper.
Bare said Martin gave deputies no statement, other than denying his alleged actions. Martin was also belligerent and uncooperative with deputies.
Bare said deputies did not know if Martin resided at the house with his girlfriend. Bare said police were “quite familiar” with both parties.
Deputy R.L. Talley is the investigating officer in the case.
A neighbor’s house was also in danger of catching fire, James said.
It and the house destroyed were only separated by a small driveway.
The homeowner’s son, though, apparently hosed the other house down with water to keep it cool.
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