Ex-Volunteer Firefighter in Texas Accused of Arson

A former volunteer firefighter in North Texas has been accused of arson.

Johnson County Sheriff Bob Alford says 21-year-old Patrick David Pantuso has admitted setting seven grass fires in the area during August.

The Arlington man was arrested after a small fire was set Saturday in a rural area near Venus, about 25 miles southeast of Fort Worth. Alford says Pantuso was arrested Sunday on one felony arson count. He’s free after posting $10,000 bail.

No was injured in the weekend blaze and no structures were damaged. Pantuso is under investigation in the other fires.

The Fort Worth Star-Telegram reports Pantuso worked with fire departments in Everman and Rendon and was seeking to become a firefighter in Venus.

A phone number listed for Pantuso wasn’t working Tuesday.