JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (WJHL) — A hotel fire that caused evacuations of dozens of guests early Friday morning has led to two Johnson City men being charged with aggravated arson.
Dakota Tarlton and Michael Mumpower were sitting outside Room 221 of the Home 2 Suites Hotel at 190 Hart Drive when Johnson City Police Department (JCPD) officers arrived following an evacuation just after 4 a.m., according to a JCPD news release.
They had been detained by Johnson City Fire Department staff. According to the release, further investigation allowed police to determine rags had been lit inside the room and placed at both doors.
“Tarlton could not explain what had caused the fire and Mumpower gave a sequence of events not conclusive to the evidence,” the news release states.
About 160 guests were at the hotel when the fire occurred. A JCPD captain told News Channel 11 no one was injured and that the room suffered minimal damage. The JCPD reported there did not appear to be any smoke damage to other parts of the hotel.
Tarlton and Mumpower were arrested and taken to Washington County Detention Center, where they’re being held in lieu of $15,000 bond each. They are scheduled to be arraigned in Sessions Court Monday.
