Benton County Fire Leads to Arrest of Homeowner

BENTON COUNTY (WJON News) - A house fire has led to the arrest of a man in Benton County.

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At about 1:00 Tuesday afternoon, the Benton County Sheriff’s Office was dispatched to the 7000 block of Highway 95 Northeast on reports claiming the homeowner was having a mental health crisis, made threatening statements about a gun, and was threatening to burn down his home.

Upon arrival, officers found a detached garage completely on fire. The 9-1-1 caller was located and said 29-year-old Justin Kriedeman of Sauk Rapids had been exhibiting symptoms of a mental health emergency during a telephone call. When the caller arrived, they found the garage on fire and had used their vehicle to stop Kriedeman from leaving the scene on several occasions before Kriedeman crashed the minivan he was driving into a shed and ran out of sight.

While gathering more information, the fire spread to an attached garage and then gunshots were heard.

Officers found Kriedeman near an outbuilding and he struggled with officers before he was taken into custody. Once Kriedeman was in custody, firefighters from the Sauk Rapids and Foley Fire Departments put out the fire. Both the home and detached garage were severely damaged by the fire.

Kriedeman is being held in the Benton County Jail on charges of 1st Degree Arson, 2nd Degree Arson, and 5th Degree Controlled Substance Crime.