GOULDSBORO, WAYNE COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU) — Pennsylvania State Police say a Gouldsboro man is charged with seven arson-related offenses after he was seen fleeing the scene of another fire in Gouldsboro.
PSP says while investigating numerous fires in Jessup (Lackawanna County) and Lehigh Township (Wayne County), 30-year-old, Michael Angelo Yzkanin, is facing another set of arson charges after being identified as he was running away from a home engulfed in flames at 573 Main Street in Gouldsboro.
According to PSP, on Saturday, April 15 around 2:13 p.m., a witness saw smoke coming from the home and watched Yzkanin walk away from the residence and flee into the woods. Police say the witness then called 911 and waited for first responders and authorities to arrive.
According to a press release, officers from the PA Game Commission arrived on the scene and ran into the woods after Yzkanin. At 2:35 p.m., Gouldsboro Fire Chief Dave Miller requested the PSP Fire Marshal Unit to respond to the scene, troopers say.
The police criminal affidavit states, Chief Miller responded to the scene with around 55 firefighters from eight mutual aid fire departments.
As the affidvait reads, body camera video footage showed officers in the woods yelling, “blue jeans, green hoodie, stop.” Troopers say, video footage also shows an
State police say Yzkanin is also facing a charge of arson in connection with the fire set during the early morning hours of April 14 at 572 Main Street, the former Gouldsboro Inn.
Troopers say they are still investigating the cause of the other fires in Lackawanna and Wayne counties.
Yzkanin is facing charges of arson-danger of death or bodily injury, arson-with intent to destroy unoccupied buildings, reckless burning or exploding-places uninhabited or unoccupied, causing catastrophie, risking catastrophe, failure to prevent catastrophe, burglary-not adapted for overnight accomindation.
According to Wayne County District Attorney, A.G. Howell, Yzkanin was arriagned on Wednesday, June 7 and his bail was set at $250,000.
A preliminary hearing is scheudled Wednesday, June 14, at the Wayne County Courthouse.