Louisiana Man Arrested Suspected of Setting Two Mobile Homes on Fire in Lake Charles, One with People Inside

Lake Charles, Louisiana - A 44-year-old Lake Charles man has been arrested on suspicion of setting fire to two mobile homes, one of which had two people inside at the time of the blaze.

The Louisiana State Fire Marshal's Office (LASFM) said on January 3, 2023, that it had arrested a Lake Charles man for allegedly setting fire to two mobile homes, one of which had two persons inside at the time.

Rodney Hill, 44, of Lake Charles, Louisiana was booked into the Calcasieu Parish Jail on one count of Aggravated Arson and one count of Simple Arson on Friday, December 30.

Calcasieu Parish Ward 8 Fire District #2 responded to reports of a mobile home fire in the 2400 block of Highway 397 in Lake Charles on Friday, December 30. Firefighters arrived to discover no active fire but two fire-damaged mobile homes. A person who had escaped one of the mobile homes had already used a hose to extinguish fires at both exit doors, while the other mobile home fire, also on the exterior, had burned out before the fire service arrived. Nobody was hurt.

Deputies believed the fires were connected and purposefully caused after assessing the area and collecting witness accounts.

Hill was identified as the suspect in the case in coordination with the Calcasieu Parish Sheriff's Office. Hill, who was already in detention for other offenses relating to the fires, was later charged with the fires.

An arrest is an indication that probable cause exists to believe the subject was involved in the offense alleged. A person is innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.