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Dothan man charged with arson after house fire

DOTHAN, Ala (WDHN) — A 35-year-old Dothan man was arrested and charged with arson after police say he set his house on fire after an argument.

On Monday, March 20, 2023, at approximately 8:20 p.m., the Dothan Fire Department and the Dothan Police Department responded to a structure fire in the 900 block of Eastwood Drive, and after arriving on the scene, firefighters found a single-story home fully involved in a fire. 

Firefighters worked for several minutes to extinguish the fire and a Dothan Police Department Criminal Investigator was called to the scene.

According to Dothan Police, after working the scene with the Dothan Fire Department, the DPD Criminal Investigator determined arson was the cause of the fire.

There were two people in the house at the time of the fire, Kenneth Wood Jr, and his roommate.

At the time of the fire, the roommate was asleep and woke up to find the home filled with smoke, and was able to crawl out.

Police say that earlier in the day, Wood and a family member of the roommate had an argument and when officers attempted to take a statement from Wood, he refused to acknowledge them, provide a statement, give his name or any identifying information, and he became disorderly.

As a result of the investigation, Wood was arrested and charged with one count of Arson in the First Degree, and one count of Obstructing Governmental Operations. He has a set bond of $66,000.