Frackville man accused of setting May brush fire near Altamont
DCNR says man livestreamed the start of the blaze, called it in
KAYLEE LINDENMUTH / SHENANDOAH SENTINEL - Forestry firefighters work to contain a blaze in West Mahanoy Township on May 14, 2023.
ALTAMONT – A Frackville man was arraigned Monday evening and is free on unsecured bail, accused by state forestry authorities of setting fire to the woodlands east of here last year.
Jeffrey Smulligan, 30, of 133 South Railroad Street, is accused of multiple felony arson charges, as well as risking a catastrophe, setting a forest fire, and reckless burning placing property in danger, along with misdemeanor reckless endangerment.
According to the criminal complaint filed by Fire Warden Jacob Novitsky of the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR), a wildfire broke out at midday on May 14, 2023, near Morea Road and Lia Road, the Laurel Ridge development.
That firefight went on for hours and included a host of local and state fire resources, including air tankers. In total, the fire burned 133 acres of land owned by G C C Realty Inc. and the Girard Estate. Several homes along Morea Road and Lia Road were also threatened during the firefight.
When Novitsky arrived on scene, he was told by West Mahanoy Township Police Chief John Kaczmarczyk that he believed Smulligan had set a campfire which had gotten out of control, and that he had fled the area.
Township police were later told that Smulligan had been livestreaming on Facebook when he set the fire.
He had been using the name “Yod Blink” at the time and the witness said they had exchanged messages back and forth with Smulligan through that account.
In that exchange, Novitsky recalled in the complaint that Smulligan admitted to setting the fire and saying that he was told to leave the scene, “I’m gonna be harassed even more.”
Smulligan asked the witness “How do you know I started a fire already,” to which they responded saying he livestreamed it.
Around 5pm, Smulligan had returned to the fireground, asking for the person in charge of the incident. With the commanding officer unavailable, DCNR gathered his information and asked him to leave the scene due to the hazardous conditions.
An hour later, township police reported to Novitsky finding the livestream and also noted that Smulligan himself called the fire in.
The next day, township police and DCNR arrived on scene to find the origin and cause of the fire.
They ran into two men, one of whom said he was there earlier to help Smulligan retrieve some belongings he’d left behind in the woods the day prior. Those men led authorities to that location where they found one of a few axes Smulligan had left behind.
Those men left and DCNR found that the fire had started in that area. No campfire ring or campfire was observed, and several water bottles, bagels, and a cardboard roll used for duct tape was found, as was a lighter.
A search warrant was obtained for Smulligan’s Facebook page in October which revealed images of the wildfire and Facebook messages.
Meanwhile, attempts to get ahold of Smulligan were unsuccessful, Novitsky wrote. His phone was disconnected, he moved, and an acquaintance of his reported that he hadn’t spoken to Smulligan in “quite some time” but would try to get ahold of him.
In December, authorities found a new address for Smulligan at 133 South Railroad Street. DCNR attempted to contact him on Dec. 13 to no avail. On Dec. 21, they tried again, with Smulligan’s dad answering. After a short time, his mom came out and said Smulligan wasn’t feeling well and that they could set up a time to speak to him about what happened.
She told authorities that he was schizophrenic and off his medication.
DCNR followed up with Smulligan and set up a time at the State Police barracks on Eleanor Drive, and Smulligan never showed.
Smulligan was arraigned Monday before Magisterial District Judge Edward Tarantelli and released on $25,000 unsecured bail.
A preliminary hearing is set for Feb. 14 before Tarantelli.
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