Man seen allegedly fleeing garage fire in custody
Published 10:14 am Monday, April 16, 2018
- An Austin firefighter moves hose during a garage fire on Friday. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
A State Fire Marshal ruled the cause of a garage fire Friday as inconclusive, but questions remain about a man seen fleeing the property.
Joseph Henry Mallan, 34
The same man was arrested Saturday on a felony warrant after being hospitalized from an overdose.
According to Austin Police Chief Brian Krueger, Austin police and fire departments responded to a garage fire at 2:48 p.m. on Friday in an alleyway at 708 11th Ave. Firefighters extinguished the blaze.
According to Austin Fire Chief Jim McCoy, the garage was a total loss, suffering approximately $12,500 in damage between the building and the contents. No one was injured in the fire.
A witness told police they saw Joseph Henry Mallan, 34, fleeing the garage before emergency personnel were called, according to Krueger.
At 12:16 a.m. on Saturday, Mallan went to Gold Cross Ambulance service and said he had overdosed. He was taken to Mayo Clinic Health System in Austin, then to Mayo Clinic Hospital in Rochester, where he was placed under guard. Already wanted on an unrelated warrant, he was arrested on Sunday after being discharged from the hospital. He is currently being held in the Mower County Jail.
An Austin detective leaves a house Friday in southwest Austin, the scene of a garage fire. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
According to Krueger and McCoy, it is unclear if Mallan was connected to the fire.
A review of Mallan’s criminal history shows prior convictions for theft, receiving stolen property, criminal damage to property, issuing dishonored checks, possession of burglary or theft tools, fleeing a peace officer, giving a false report to a peace officer, terroristic threats and criminal sexual conduct with a victim aged 13-15.
