Deputies watch as man allegedly starts fire on The Murfreesboro Post

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Deputies watch as man allegedly starts fire

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By: Lisa Marchesoni

Posted: Tuesday, January 27, 2009 3:26 pm

Sheriff’s officers conducting surveillance at a location where several fires were intentionally set apparently watched a man set a brush pile on fire Friday off state Route 96 West (Franklin Highway), a deputy reported.

Suspect Stewart Ellerbeck, 44, of 4704 Franklin Road was charged with reckless burning, Deputy Steve Craig reported.

Detective Randy Groce and Sgt. Barry Jones were watching the area for a potential arsonist after several fires in the neighborhood during the past few months.

“Detective Groce and Sgt. Jones witnessed Stewart Ellerbeck come out of his residence, walk to the brush pile and set the brush pile on fire,” Craig reported.

Ellerbeck was charged and booked into Rutherford County Adult Detention Center. A hearing is set Feb. 4 in General Sessions Court.

His wife asked deputies to take Ellerbeck’s handgun and ammunition for safekeeping.

In an unrelated case, Detective Todd Sparks charged Joe Bowen with three counts of robbery after Bowen was accused of holding up three men Friday.

Deputy Joseph Vann reported victim John May identified Bowen as the man who robbed him of $65 cash and wallet Friday morning.

Bowen and May met to sell a radio when Bowen allegedly struck May with a pistol, Vann reported. Bowen was also accused of striking May’s cousin, Matthew Loyer of Enon Springs Road with a pistol in his face. A second man was accused of putting a pistol into the face of May’s cousin, Chris Loyer, and robbing him of $120.

Once he was located, Sparks charged Bowen with three counts of robbery. His hearing was set Tuesday in General Sessions Court.

Tagged under FIRE

Member Opinions:

By: nbouldin on 1/27/09
Where there any houses or buildings set on fire? Did he have a burn permit? So Mr. Ellerbeck burned a brush pile, possibly his brush pile, and went to jail for arson. And then his wife surrendered his handgun and ammunition. WHY? Reckless burning! Are you kidding me.

By: voiceofreason on 1/30/09
Well, they didn't say whether the brush pile was in his own yard or some other persons yard. So, before you get upset, wait to see the whole story. Also, perhaps he has been suicidal. Maybe that is why the wife wanted them to take his handgun. Who knows, the story was not written in enough detail for us to know all of those things.

By: emily_nicole94 on 5/8/10
this happens to be my father. my dad is NOT suicidal..he's one of the happiest men alive and is a good dad, so why don't you watch what you say..and he never set anything on fire. he was always watching movies with me and my sisters so he went to jail for no reason. and it was his brush pile. we had just pulled weeds and raked up leaves so he burnt them.