Police Arrest Man for Truck Fire at Local Church

Photo Courtesy Burlington Police

BURLINGTON, MA - Burlington Police arrested a local man Friday night who is allegedly responsible for the truck fire that occurred at a Catholic church earlier this week.

Police Chief Michael Kent said Saturday afternoon that Ryan Johnson, 19, of Burlington was arrested and charged with arson of a motor vehicle and malicious destruction of property over $250.

At approximately 1 a.m. on Wednesday, March 30, Burlington Police received a report of a truck fire in a parking lot adjacent to a building on the property of St. Margaret Parish, 111 Winn St. Burlington Police and Fire Departments responded to the scene and firefighters quickly extinguished the flames.

Chief Kent said at the time of the incident his department didn't believe the truck fire and recent statue vandalism at St. Margaret's Parish were related.

On Friday, April 1, at 8:30 p.m., Burlington Police detectives executed a search warrant at a Burlington residence with the assistance of a Massachusetts State Police K-9 Unit. It was then that Johnson was arrested and transported to the Burlington Police Station.

Johnson is scheduled to be arraigned on Monday morning at Woburn District Court.