Ex-Limestone man accused of setting 4 fires now formally charged
A Decatur man has been formally charged with four counts of arson for setting four fires west of Athens in 2014, records show.
A Limestone County grand jury recently indicted Eric Mitchell Hall, 26, of 1909 Carpenter Drive, on two counts of first-degree arson and two counts of second-degree arson in connection with four Limestone County fires.
Madison authorities believe Hall, who had worked with Huntsville Emergency Medical Services Inc., broke into a HEMSI ambulance at 1825 Jeff Road station in Madison County on Jan. 25, 2014, and stole a medical bag containing supplies, Madison County Sheriff’s Investigator Sgt. Brian Chaffin said at the time of the fire. On Feb. 7, another burglary occurred at the Jeff Road station after ambulance personnel had been called to a wreck, Chaffin said.
“When they returned, it appeared someone had started a fire at their station,” Chaffin said. “Upon further investigation, it was found that the building had been entered unlawfully and a fire started.”
Following an investigation, authorities developed Hall as a suspect.
“During the interview of Eric Hall, it was determined he is responsible for similar crimes, which had been committed in surrounding counties,” Chaffin said. Madison authorities notified Limestone and other counties about Hall.
Madison County has charged Hall with second-degree arson, one count of third-degree burglary and two counts of breaking and entering a vehicle.
During questioning about the Feb. 7 arson, Hall told a deputy state fire marshal he also started three of the four Limestone County fires that occurred Dec. 14 and 15 in the area of the Chris Way Trailer Park where he lived, said Limestone County Sheriff’s Chief Investigator Stanley McNatt last year.
Among the Limestone County fires to which Hall confessed was a blaze set on Bell Road that destroyed a house that a man was working on and a Corvette. Hall did not confess to the fire that started in the laundry room of the trailer where Hall was staying at the time, McNatt said, but he was charged with starting that fire.