Cops: Man leaves burning home, fails to seek help

[March 26, 2009]  MAHOPAC, N.Y. (AP) -- Police said a man who left his house after it caught fire early Sunday didn't bother running to a neighbor for help.

Instead, he drove about a mile on his all-terrain vehicle to a friend's house, but couldn't get anyone out of bed there. So he went to sleep in a boat parked on the property.

Police said the man was in his basement when an ember from the fireplace ignited a rug. It took firefighters about an hour to knock down the blaze after it was reported by a resident.

Carmel Police Chief Michael Johnson said the man could have saved a lot of effort -- and possibly the house -- by alerting authorities right away. They feared he had died in the fire, and summoned a cadaver dog.

Police went searching for the man and arrested him about six hours later after finding him with cocaine.

The suspect has a court hearing scheduled on Wednesday.

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Information from: The Journal News, http://www.thejournalnews.com/

[Associated Press]

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