EL JOBEAN — The Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office and the State Fire Marshal investigated a fire to an occupied mobile home in El Jobean Saturday morning around 3 a.m. The Fire Marshal ruled it as arson by the use of gasoline being thrown on the mobile home and set on fire. Arrested for felony Arson was Daniel Matthew Lewis, 39, of the 5400 block of David Boulevard, Gulf Cove. CCSO received a call at 3:07 a.m. on a report of a disturbance and structure fire. Charlotte County Fire Department/EMS was dispatched to 4227 Hollis Avenue. Deputies talked to the 53-year-old owner of the home, who said Lewis was a guest in his home Friday and there was an altercation between the two of them. The owner said he was in possession of DVD movies belonging to Lewis and around 3 a.m. Saturday Lewis came back attempting to get his DVDs and struck the front door with his fists, damaging the door and attempting to enter by force. The owner called CCSO and while waiting for deputies to arrive, he went outside to see if there were damages to the door.

Outside, the owner said he saw a fire on the end of his home and attempted to extinguish it by hand caused him burn injuries; EMS treated him on the scene. The owner told deputies he notice a two-gallon plastic gas can was moved from where he stored it on the front porch and it was located on the east corner of his home near the fire. Most of the damage was to vinyl siding of the home and damages were set at $200. Deputies located Lewis in nearby El Jobean Park and transported him back to the fire scene. The State Fire Marshal arrived and interviewed Lewis, who admitted he got into an argument with the owner and left. He said he called the owner to put his DVDs on the front porch and he would get them. Lewis said he had been drinking so he rode his bicycle to the victim’s home around 3 a.m. The DVDs were not there. He became angry, struck the door to gain entry, and then rode his bike to a nearby park. The Fire Marshal said Lewis denied any knowledge or involvement in the fire, however, he did say he was familiar with the victim storing gasoline on the porch and said he touched the container in past visits and his fingerprints would be on the it. Lewis was also found in possession of a Bic lighter. Probable cause was determined by the State Fire Marshal and he arrested Lewis; deputies transported Lewis to the Charlotte County Jail, where he remains on $25,000 bond.