Deputies responding to a late-night welfare check in the Town of Brutus were met with an alarming scene when a man ignited his own vehicle before surrendering to authorities.
The Cayuga County Sheriff’s Office announced Thursday that Jason M. Berry was taken into custody on May 20 at around 11:33 p.m. Deputies had been dispatched to check on Berry’s well-being and found him near Hall and Pump Road. When officers attempted to negotiate with him, Berry responded by setting his vehicle on fire. He then surrendered without incident.
Berry was arrested and charged with arson in the third degree, a Class C felony. A subsequent investigation led to an additional charge of criminal possession of a weapon in the fourth degree. Authorities say Berry, a convicted felon, was illegally in possession of a shotgun.
Berry was remanded to the custody of the Cayuga County Sheriff’s Office without bail.
Officials are urging anyone with information about the incident to contact the Sheriff’s Office at 315-253-1222 or leave an anonymous tip at https://www.cayugacounty.us/452/Send-a-Tip. Tips can also be submitted via the SaferWatch app.
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