The Price City Police Department is currently investigating the death of an adult male whose body was discovered during efforts to extinguish a suspicious house fire on Tuesday. In the process of extinguishing the flames, Price City Fire Department personnel discovered the body of an adult male in the basement of the structure.
At 10:57 a.m., Price City Police Department officers along with the Price City Fire Department were dispatched to a residential structure fire at 423 South 200 West in Price.
Officers arrived at approximately 11 a.m. and discovered that the house was filled with smoke and that the flames had spread to the attic of the structure. One male had exited the home and informed authorities that another man was still inside.
According to Price City Police, the body of the deceased was confirmed as Brian William Swink, with a last known listed address of Helper.
James Pendleton was in the home when the fire erupted and managed to escape. He was taken into police custody for questioning.
“He has 41 arrests on his criminal history. He has 30 convictions, many of them involving violence,” Price City Police Captain Bill Barnes said regarding Pendleton. He went on to explain that Pendleton was recently released from jail on bail regarding eight felony charges.
“We are not referring to him as a suspect at this time,” Barnes said.
Two other individuals were also taken into custody following the incident. Barnes explained that two people left the residence after the fire, both of which stopped at a nearby home to dispose of forensic evidence. The Price City captain did not disclose what the evidence was.
Search warrants were served to search the home that caught fire as well as the neighboring home for evidence.
The investigation is ongoing and police detectives are in the process of interviewing several witnesses.
Assisting at the scene are officers from the Utah State Fire Marshal’s Office, Utah State Crime Lab, Carbon County Sheriff, Adult Probation and Parole and the Utah Attorney General’s investigative division.
Barnes explained that authorities are waiting for preliminary reports before deciding which way to take the investigation.
More information will be posted on etv10news.com as it is made available.
Original:
A house caught fire on 200 West in Price late Tuesday morning. Crews from Price City, the Carbon County Sheriff’s Office and other agencies responded to the scene.
One man exited the home and informed authorities that another individual was inside and was possibly armed. Crews worked to put the fire out, breaking windows and creating access to the home through the roof.
Authorities on scene speculated whether a fatality occurred in the home.
Check back to etv10news.com for more information as it is made available.
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- Brian Swink. Photo courtesy of Price City Police Department
