A 19-year-old is charged with setting fire to a Dollar General Market in Austin, Indiana, leaving residents without a local grocery option.The Dollar General Market opened back in November 2024 and now just a few months later folks have to go to the town over if they want to do any kind of grocery shopping. That’s because Jalen May is accused of setting it on fire.”We need a store, a grocery store. We have to leave here and go to Scottsburg. We can use one here real bad,” said Erma Creakman.For the last few months, the Dollar General Market was the primary grocery store for people living in Austin.”I go there for milk, bread, they had produce like lettuce, tomatoes, onions. Just about anything you needed was right there,” Creakman said.Police said May intentionally set the Dollar General Market on fire using a lighter to ignite a fire in the toilet paper aisle before setting a dog bed on fire.According to the probable cause affidavit, May told police he started the fire after a fight with his girlfriend, saying he wanted to break his probation.”From time to time we do have arson cases that come up. Usually it’s someone setting fire to a building, to a shed or often times to their own place. It’s very rare that we get an arson case to a business in a community,” one of the prosecutors said.A business that brought both fresh food and convenience to people in Austin is now closed with no reopening date set.”It was so convenient for everybody in town,” Creakman said.May is charged with two counts of arson and criminal mischief. He is being held at the Scott County Jail on a $75,000 bond.
A 19-year-old is charged with setting fire to a Dollar General Market in Austin, Indiana, leaving residents without a local grocery option.
The Dollar General Market opened back in November 2024 and now just a few months later folks have to go to the town over if they want to do any kind of grocery shopping. That’s because Jalen May is accused of setting it on fire.
“We need a store, a grocery store. We have to leave here and go to Scottsburg. We can use one here real bad,” said Erma Creakman.
For the last few months, the Dollar General Market was the primary grocery store for people living in Austin.
“I go there for milk, bread, they had produce like lettuce, tomatoes, onions. Just about anything you needed was right there,” Creakman said.
Police said May intentionally set the Dollar General Market on fire using a lighter to ignite a fire in the toilet paper aisle before setting a dog bed on fire.
According to the probable cause affidavit, May told police he started the fire after a fight with his girlfriend, saying he wanted to break his probation.
“From time to time we do have arson cases that come up. Usually it’s someone setting fire to a building, to a shed or often times to their own place. It’s very rare that we get an arson case to a business in a community,” one of the prosecutors said.
A business that brought both fresh food and convenience to people in Austin is now closed with no reopening date set.
“It was so convenient for everybody in town,” Creakman said.
May is charged with two counts of arson and criminal mischief. He is being held at the Scott County Jail on a $75,000 bond.
