LEWISTON – Arson suspect Ryan Jurczak set one last fire in the early morning of July 20 and then strolled across Park Street to sit on a bench, police said.
His image was captured in a surveillance camera as he wandered away from a car he had left in flames, according to a police affidavit.
Jurczak was ordered held on $50,000 cash bail Tuesday, in part because of that surveillance image.
Jurczak, 23, of 210 Park St., is charged with three counts of arson in what police described as a fire-setting rampage last week.
Two cars and a truck were destroyed in the spree and part of a building along Canal Street Alley was damaged.
Cameras mounted on top of the police station captured the image of Jurczak walking away from a burning car near Simones’ Hot Dog Stand on Chestnut Street shortly after midnight July 20, police said.
Police Sgt. Jeff Higgins, one of the officers investigating the fires, found Jurczak across the street from the police station moments after the car on Chestnut Street was set ablaze.
“Sgt. Higgins identified a subject walking from the area of Simones’ to the bench in the basketball court at Kennedy Park as Mr. Jurczak,” according to an affidavit prepared by Lewiston Police Detective Steven MacCallum.
Jurczak was questioned about the fires while the blazes were still being snuffed out and investigated, police said.
On Monday afternoon, Jurczak was arrested at his Park Street apartment. Police said he confessed to the crimes and provided details about how the fires were set.
Jurczak on Tuesday made his first appearance in 8th District Court. He did not enter a plea and was ordered to remain at the Androscoggin County Jail in Auburn on $100,000 surety or $50,000 cash bail.
Police have offered no motive for the fires. Investigators said Jurczak walked from Oak Street to Canal Street Alley to Chestnut Street, setting combustible materials on fire in the front seat of the three vehicles.
At least one item from one of the burned vehicles was considered evidence in the case, although police have not said what that item is. Police said the surveillance camera at the top of the station provided early evidence that pointed to Jurczak as the suspect.
“Those cameras let us keep track of what’s going on around the station for the purpose of officer safety,” said Lt. Tom Avery. “But it also monitors all the activity around the police department.”
Jurczak is scheduled to appear in court again on Oct. 6.
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