Man arrested for setting fire that burned tent, Madison park shelter

MADISON (WKOW) -- The Madison Police Department says officers arrested the suspect in an arson case at a city park.

The incident happened at 12:55 p.m. Friday.

Three people who are homeless spent the morning setting up a tent next to the James Madison Park shelter.

Police say 49-year-old Kerry Meighan showed up to the park during the tent setup and sat nearby on a bench.

The three left the park around noon and shortly after that, police say Meighan walked over to the tent and leaned into it for a few seconds before going into the restroom. He then went back to the tent briefly before walking away.

Less than a minute later, the tent and everything in it went up in flames. The fire also spread to the park shelter, causing significant damage, police say.

Officers identified Meighan as a suspect and eventually arrested him and took him to the Public Safety Building.

Meighan was booked on charges of arson of buildings, arson of property other than buildings and warrants from La Crosse County.

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