Man allegedly starts fires at Beaver County hotel overnight, attempts to light woman on fire

A Lawrence County man was placed in the Beaver County Jail after police say he started fires in a hotel and attempted to light a woman on fire.

Keenan Murray, 39, of Enon Valley, is facing a list of charges, including arson and risking catastrophe.

Center Township police were called to the Hilton Garden Inn at 2000 Wagner Road Ext., around 2:20 a.m. Tuesday for a woman on the phone stating, “He is trying to light me on fire,” according to court documents.

Officers said they arrived to find a woman being held on the ground by Murray, who they said did not follow commands to release her.

Murray allegedly stood and attempted to walk away from officers, then resisted arrest.

Officers spoke to the woman, who said Murray began to act strange inside the hotel room and started lighting bath towels on fire and throwing them in the hallway, according to the complaint. She said she went to her car in the parking lot and Murray followed her, getting into the passenger seat.

She told officers Murray dumped liquor on her and attempted to light her on fire, then used a lighter to attempt to light a duffel bag inside the vehicle. She said she got out of the vehicle and Murray followed her and held her to the ground, using a lighter to attempt to catch her hair and jacket on fire.

Officers returned to Murray’s room and observed heavy smoke and burned sheets, a mattress and comforter.

At one point, the entire hotel was evacuated, according to the complaint. Earlier, another fire was started by Murray in a public restroom in the hotel, officers said, causing the sprinkler system to activate and flooding the downstairs lobby.

Murray is also charged with criminal mischief, reckless endangerment, disorderly conduct, resisting arrest, aggravated assault and terroristic threats.

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