BRENHAM MAN CHARGED WITH ARSON IN THURSDAY HOUSE FIRE

  

A Brenham man has been charged with Arson after an unoccupied home between Brenham and Burton was destroyed by fire Thursday.

34-year-old Christopher Shane Marinis was arrested Thursday following a fire at a home in the 600 block of Harrisburg Road off Highway 290 that required the assistance of all Washington County fire departments.

Firefighters and Washington County Sheriff’s Deputies responded to the fire around 10:30 a.m., where witnesses told them they saw a suspicious vehicle in the driveway prior to the fire.  After the vehicle left, witnesses said they saw smoke coming from the residence.

After interviewing the homeowner, investigators learned there had been prior threats made to burn down the residence.  They proceeded to secure an arrest warrant for Marinis, who was later found at his home in Brenham.  A vehicle matching the description from the crime scene was found at his residence.

Marinis was arrested without incident and taken to the Washington County Jail, where he remains in custody on $250,000 bond.

Multiple volunteer fire departments, the State Fire Marshal’s Office, Washington County Community Emergency Response Team (CERT), Washington County EMS, and DPS troopers provided additional assistance at the fire scene.  Units cleared the scene at approximately 7:30 p.m., after working the fire for approximately nine hours.

The home was a total loss.  No one was home at the time of the fire.  One firefighter was treated and released on scene.