EPD arrest Franklin Street e | Roaming Spirit Inc.

McBride (Courtesy: Vanderburgh County Sheriff's Office)

by: Seth Austin

Posted: Feb 28, 2023 / 06:52 PM CST

Updated: Mar 1, 2023 / 06:35 AM CST

HENDERSON, Ky (WEHT) – Evansville Police arrested a man on Tuesday that they say set several e-scooters on fire in Evansville over the last week.

According to an affidavit, officers were dispatched to the 2100 block of West Franklin Street on Friday for a report of arson. Officers on the scene were informed by the Evansville Fire Department that nine e-scooters were set on fire in front of Smitty's Italian Steakhouse, four were set on fire beside Kite and Key Restaurant and four more were set on fire in front of First Federal Savings Bank.

Officers were dispatched to the 200 block of North Wabash Avenue on Tuesday to reports of an arson. At the scene, an EFD investigator told police that three e-scooters were set on fire. Police say a man was caught on camera setting the e-scooters on fire and leaving behind a cardboard sign. According to the affidavit, the following message was handwritten on the sign:

15 stolen last year, 1 trew [sic] them in Pigeon Creek, Set fire to 19 more, About 150 damaged in many ways, U will never profit, I will not stop-Get off Franklin, I have not bothered any other locations, but I will if you don't leave, get off Franklin, CALL POLICE

Police say the man in the surveillance video was identified as Marion McBride, 70, and officers went to his apartment to speak with him. According to the affidavit, McBride confirmed to police that he was in the Franklin Street area on February 24 and February 28. When asked if he gets upset seeing bicycles or scooters laying around the area, McBride told police he was from Nashville and the scooters were everywhere, including in handicap parking spots and driveways.

Police say McBride told them he did not think the man in the video footage was him, and the gold truck in the footage "looked green". McBride was taken into custody and transported to the Vanderburgh County Correctional Center with a charge of arson.