By Moses Leos III
A Cibolo man wanted for allegedly breaking in windows of a vehicle and a house in San Marcos in August and then setting them both on fire was arrested by authorities Friday.
Ty Ashton Killoran-Bates, 20, of Cibolo, was booked into the Hays County Jail on a charge of Arson, which is a state jail felony, and arson of a habitation/place of worship, which is a first degree felony. Killoran-Bates was also arrested on a second degree felony charge of burglary of a habitation. Killoran-Bates is being held in the Hays County Jail on $40,000 bond.
According to a Hays County probable cause affidavit released by Hays County Pct. 2 Justice of the Peace Beth Smith, Hays County Fire Marshal Clint Browning responded to a reported structure and vehicle fire in the 100 block of Whitetail Drive in San Marcos at approximately 7:30 p.m. Aug. 6.
According to the affidavit, Browing was told that a silver vehicle was allegedly witnessed on scene prior to the fire.
Browing began his investigation and concluded that an “incendiary fire had occurred” in both the vehicle and residence.
Browing, according to the affidavit, said the windows of the car were knocked out prior to the fire being set in the car’s back seat. He also observed that the structure’s front windows leading to the kitchen and front bedroom had also been knocked out by an unknown object.
Witnesses who Browing interviewed allegedly identified the individual as Killoran-Bates.
Occupants of the home said Killoran-Bates had been at Canyon Lake with them prior to the incident, but a verbal altercation occurred. According to the affidavit, Killoran-Bates allegedly stated that they would “pay for this later.”
Killoran-Bates left the scene and allegedly drove to the residence, which according to the occupants he had visited previously.
The occupant of the home had a video surveillance system operating during the incident. Browing observed Killian-Bates allegedly driving onto the property in a silver vehicle match witnesses descriptions.
Killian-Bates allegedly then stepped from his vehicle with a “bat looking object, approached the occupants’ parked car and began breaking windows of the vehicle. He then allegedly approached the camera and disabled it.
According to affidavit, Browning observed “like kind damage” to the windows of the structure. A fire was started by unknown means in the back seat of the vehicle and the residence, which had to be done by reaching through the windows or fully entering the vehicle or structure, according to the affidavit.
