The Orange County Sheriff’s Office announced charges against a Hillsborough man accused of both causing a recent fire at a small business complex and a series of home break-ins.
A release from the office said 49-year-old James Pickens Jr. was charged on Tuesday related to a fire at 1515 Coleman Loop Road that began late Saturday night. It comes after Pickens was already arrested, charged and released in a series of break-ins that same evening north of Hillsborough along Boogaboo Trail and River Run Lane.
Overnight Saturday, a witness reported to investigators that they saw a person walking away from a running vehicle left in the road and heard gunshots shortly after losing sight of the person. When sheriff’s deputies arrived, they found the vehicle still running and the driver’s door left open. A search of the area led them to discover one residence broken into, before the deputies reported hearing another gunshot and finding another residence broken into.
A spokesperson for the sheriff’s office said deputies then used advanced search tactics to comb the area and locate Pickens, who was then taken into custody. At the time, he was charged with two counts of felony breaking and entering, two counts of felony larceny after breaking and entering, armed to the terror of the people, and other misdemeanor charges. According to the release, Pickens left the detention center on Monday evening after making bond.
James Pickens Jr., 49. (Photo via the Orange County Sheriff’s Office.)
Investigators charged Pickens on Tuesday, though, with additional crimes after investigators located evidence the sheriff’s office said connects him to the fire on Coleman Loop Road, which is a complex sometimes called the Major Business System building. The Orange Rural Fire Department reported arriving to the address around 11:22 p.m. on Saturday to find “heavy flames” on the building’s roof and heavy smoke indoors. The fire took several days to stop — with the Orange Rural Fire Department saying Monday that crews were still on-site to stop ongoing hot spots and smoldering materials around the roof. In Monday’s update, the fire department said it appears the blaze was “not an accidentally set fire.”
Based on their evidence, the Orange County Sheriff’s Office said it charged Pickens on with breaking and entering, larceny after breaking and entering, and the burning of a commercial structure. Because of his new charges, the Pre-Trial Integrity Act requires Pickens to be held at the detention center for up to 48 hours without bond.
Tuesday’s release from the sheriff’s office said Pickens’ next court date is set for Wednesday at 2 p.m.
Photo via the Orange County Sheriff’s Office.
Chapelboro.com does not charge subscription fees, and you can directly support our efforts in local journalism here. Want more of what you see on Chapelboro? Let us bring free local news and community information to you by signing up for our newsletter.
Related Stories
‹
Man Arrested, Charged with Murder in Fatal Hillsborough ShootingOne man has been arrested and charged by the Orange County Sheriff’s Office for the murder of James Otis Kithcart back in November. At the request of the Orange County Sheriff’s Office, the US Marshals Joint Fugitive Task Force apprehended Julius Evans Jr. on Friday. Investigators charged Evans with first degree murder and the possession of a […]
Hillsborough Break-In Suspect Arrested After Chase, CrashAn early morning chase and subsequent crash resulted in an arrest in connection with two attempted home break-ins in Hillsborough over the weekend. Authorities said in a release that Hillsborough Police officers responded to a breaking and entering reported around 3 a.m. Saturday in the Cornwallis Hills neighborhood in southern Hillsborough. A second attempted breaking […]
Fight During Arrest Lands 3 Orange County Sheriff's Deputies in HospitalHillsborough resident Jorge Luis Lopez Duran faces three felony charges of assault on a law enforcement officer.
Hillsborough Man Charged With Multiple Counts of Child ExploitationThe Orange County Sheriff’s Office arrested a Hillsborough man Friday and have charged him with 15 counts of third-degree sexual exploitation of a minor. The sheriff’s office says Christopher M. Watson, 45, turned himself in at the magistrate’s office, immediately posted a $7,500 secure bond and appeared in court Monday afternoon. According to the sheriff’s […]
Police: Teenager Arrested in Connection With Fatal Hillsborough ShootingThe Hillsborough Police Department announced the arrest of a 19-year-old town resident on Wednesday in connection with a December shooting which killed two people. Kenyon Raishaun Cameron is facing two charges of first-degree murder. According to police, Cameron was taken into custody on Wednesday afternoon after a traffic stop on Orange Grove Road. Police say […]
Sheriff's Office Says Orange County Teen 'Safely Located' After SearchThe Orange County Sheriff's Office shared an alert to the public Thursday morning, asking for assistance in locating 15-year-old Haylee Moore.
Police: 3 Arrested After Vehicle Break-Ins, Shots Fired in Chapel HillA series of vehicle break-ins and gunfire in a Chapel Hill neighborhood Thursday morning led to a trio of arrests, according to local authorities.
Reward for Escaped Convict Up to $50,000; Local and State Officials Continuing InvestigationThe manhunt for Ramone Alston stretched into a second day in Orange County, with investigators increasing the reward for his arrest.
Local and State Authorities Continue Search for Convicted Murderer On The Run in HillsboroughThe Orange County Sheriff's Office is seeking an escaped inmate on Tuesday morning, as a man fled UNC Hospitals' Hillsborough campus.
Sheriff's Office Charges Hillsborough Man in Coleman Loop Road Fire and Residence Break-InsThe Orange County Sheriff's Office charged a Hillsborough man related to a recent fire at a business complex and a series of home break-ins.
›
Comments on Chapelboro are moderated according to our Community Guidelines