Following a thorough investigation, East Providence Police located video surveillance of an arson fire started behind a Pawtucket Avenue building on Jan. 10. (Video Screenshot Courtesy East Providence Police)
EAST PROVIDENCE — The East Providence Police Department has arrested and charged a Coventry man with arson following a Jan. 10 Pawtucket Avenue fire.
TEREL MOLINA, AGE 27, of COVENTRY, was arrested on Jan. 14 and charged with First Degree Arson.
On Jan. 10, at approximately 1 a.m., East Providence Police officers responded to the rear lot of 1990 Pawtucket Ave. for the report of a fire. Upon arrival, officers located a black rug burning outside the building’s south entrance. Officers used a fire extinguisher to put out the flames.
The building was occupied at the time of the fire. A building occupant attempted to exit the building after witnessing the fire actively burning but was unable to flee to safety due to the size of the flames.
The East Providence Fire Department and the East Providence Police Detectives Division responded to the scene.
East Providence Police Detective Corp. Patrick Kelley was the lead investigator on the case. Following a thorough investigation, Detective Corp. Kelley tracked down video surveillance footage of the incident.
Click here to view the video.
The investigation also led to the identification and location of a vehicle associated with the arson suspect, who had purchased motor oil at a local convenience store and used it as an accelerant in the fire.
Through the investigation, MOLINA was identified as the suspect.
“The East Providence Police Department would like to thank and credit the East Providence Fire Department and Rhode Island State Fire Marshal’s Office for their work and assistance on this case,” said Acting Police Chief Michael J. Rapoza. “Cases like this take cross-agency collaboration to crack. Our Detectives conducted a thorough and professional investigation and were aided every step of the way by our state and local firefighting partners.”
Anyone with additional information to share is asked to call East Providence Police at 401-435-7600.
These are allegations. All suspects are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
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TEREL MOLINA, AGE 27, of COVENTRY, was arrested on Jan. 14 and charged with First Degree Arson. (Photo Courtesy East Providence Police)
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