Two men are in custody after a citizen’s tip led local law enforcement to identify suspects accused of torching a sheriff’s deputy car and stealing a truck that was set on fire on the railroad tracks in Warrenton.

The men also are suspected of trying to set fire to three Warrenton patrol cars early Friday as part of a three-day crime spree that included stealing a vehicle and breaking into a residence.

Corey Michael Puetz, 21, of the 200 block of Granada, and Xavier Daman Washington, 19, of the 300 block of Dahlgren, are in the Warren County Jail in lieu of $100,000 cash-only bonds. Both are charged with three felony counts of stealing a motor vehicle, first-degree burglary and stealing.

Sheriff Kevin Harrison said his department received a phone call Saturday from a citizen who overheard a conversation pertaining to a burned truck. After more interviews later in the day, deputies arrested Puetz and Washington for questioning.

Harrison complimented the cooperation among the sheriff’s department, Warrenton Police Department, Warrenton Fire Protection District, state fire marshal’s office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Fire for the investigation and eventual capture of both suspects.

He also applauded the citizen for coming forward.

“We enjoy a relationship here when our community works with us,” Harrison said. “It gave us a place to start working.”

Harrison said a flaming rag on a stick was placed into the fuel tank of his deputy’s car early Thursday morning. The vehicle was parked at the county-owned lot located one block south of the courthouse.

The Warrenton patrol cars were parked outside city hall. An alert officer kept damage to a minimum by quickly extinguishing a rear tire that was ablaze.

The truck, stolen from a residence on South Morgan Street, was later discovered destroyed Friday evening after being set on fire on the railroad tracks near the Highway 47 overpass. 

“The thing is, with their pattern of events, the severity was increasing in each event,” Harrison said. “To me, it’s a relief. We had a significant amount of damage in a short period of time. These guys had violent, evil plans for this community.”

It has yet to be decided if both suspects will be facing state or federal charges for the alleged arson incidents. Prosecutor Mike Wright said he anticipates meeting with the U.S. attorney’s office soon to discuss the case.

The deputy’s car, a 2005 Chevrolet Impala, was a complete loss. Harrison also said the car had $10,000 to $12,000 worth of equipment inside it.

A deputy noticed a fire in the parking lot and reported it at 1:41 a.m. Thursday, Aug. 12. By the time firefighters responded, the rear of the patrol car was completely engulfed.  

Warrenton Fire Chief Mike Owenby confirmed that arson was suspected due to the nature of how the fire appeared to start from the outside and then spread to the inside.

“That doesn’t happen,” he said. “We knew it was suspicious.”

A deputy’s personal vehicle that was parked alongside the patrol car sustained some damage as well.

A row of older patrol cars no longer in use by the department were parked in the same lot but were not damaged.

“They obviously targeted an active car,” Harrison said.

In Friday morning’s incident, also around 1:30 a.m., Warrenton Police Chief Greg Houdyshell said three cars parked alongside each other had been sprayed with an accelerant. He said the officer who extinguished the fire was sitting inside the police station when he heard something and went outside to investigate.

Only minimal damage was reported to one of the cars, also an Impala, according to Houdyshell.

“Obviously we’re really frustrated,” Houdyshell said. “We’re lucky. It could have been detrimental. It was a heads up move on his (the officer’s) part.”

Arson is to blame for a fire that destroyed this Warren County Sheriff's Department car in the early morning hours of Thursday, Aug. 12. An attempt also was made early Friday morning to torch a Warrenton police car. Two suspects have been arrested and charged with related crimes.