SMALLWOOD – A Smallwood man has been
charged with setting fire to an unoccupied building at 393 Pine Grove
Road in Smallwood on the evening of June 9.
The Smallwood Fire Department extinguished the fire which was determined
to be deliberately set.
A short time later the Sullivan County Sheriff’s Patrol received a call
of an injured man a few doors down at 440 Pine Grove Road. Tomasz Kusmirek,
41, was found with a laceration to his leg and burns to his hands and
feet.
Sullivan County Fire Investigators determined that the fire had several
points of origin and that an accelerant was used. Deputies believe that
the fire was started to cover a burglary.
Investigators recovered a stolen lawn tractor, an ATV, a log splitter
and other property from Kusmirek’s residence.
Kusmirek, who had been transported to a Pennsylvania hospital, was taken
into custody there by local police on a fugitive warrant.
He was brought back to Sullivan County and charged with felony arson
and burglary and was remanded to the Sullivan County Jail without bail.
The investigation is continuing and additional charges may be filed.
