(KAIR)--An Atchison man was taken into custody early Thursday morning after authorities say he was involved in causing a fire in an apartment.
According to Police Chief Mike Wilson, both police and fire crews were called to the apartment, located in the 200 block of North Third Street just before 3:00. A police officer arrived to the scene first, and confronted 51-year-old Steven Billings in front of the building, who was acting erratically and appeared to be holding a weapon against himself.
Wilson says that Billings led officers on a short foot pursuit after he was confronted, but was apprehended a few moments later, just as fire crews arrived to put out the blaze. It was determined that Billings had allegedly started the fire in his apartment before barricading the door and exiting through a window.
Billings was booked into the Atchison County Jail on charges including arson and obstructing the legal process.
Wilson says the fire was confined to the apartment's kitchen area, and caused only minimal damage.
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