Newton Falls man charged with aggravated arson after early Monday fire

A 25-year-old Newton Falls man has been charged with aggravated arson, inducing panic, making false alarms, obstructing official business, and misconduct at an emergency as authorities responded to a fire alarm and smoke in the building at Village Apartments at 609 Ridge Road in Newton Falls about 3:30 a.m. Monday.

When Trumbull County sheriff deputies responded, residents of the complex told them smoke was coming from the third floor, between apartments 301 to 304.

The man who answered the door at Apartment 304, identified as Chance Rucker, told deputies he didn’t know where the smoke was coming from, and he later locked the door on his way out of the building.

Later, firefighters had to break down the door to Apartment 304 and discovered a burnt white fabric material in the bathroom sink that was the source of the smoke. The report states that the burnt fabric was wet as if there was an attempt to douse the fire.

Deputies later spotted Rucker in a vehicle in the parking lot and took him into custody. The man denied any knowledge of the fire and declined to answer any questions. He was jailed and will be arraigned in Newton Falls Municipal Court.

The report did not list the damage done to the apartment complex.