Man accused of setting his home on fire, stealing fire department vehicle goes before judge

JACKSONVILLE, N.C. (WITN) - A man accused of stealing a fire department vehicle after setting his Jacksonville home on fire appeared before a judge late this morning.

Anthony Biz is charged with fraudulently burning a dwelling, larceny of a motor vehicle, possession of a stolen motor vehicle, and unauthorized burning.

Saturday, just after 3 p.m., the Jacksonville Fire Department went to a house fire on Nelson Drive. Warrants obtained by WITN show that Biz was the owner of the home and purposefully set it on fire in order to “burn the house down.”

While fighting the fire, officials say a battalion command vehicle was taken from the scene. Warrants say Biz stole an F250 truck belonging to the City of Jacksonville.

“In my 26 years with the fire department, nothing has ever been taken from us,” Jacksonville Fire Chief Edward Tallman said. “No vehicle has been taken from a scene like that.”

Soon, officials learned from Pender County dispatchers that the truck had been recovered at Highway 50.

Jacksonville Police Chief Jarad Phelps said his department is investigating how he got access to the truck.

The 31-year-old Biz appeared before a District Court judge who set his bond at $90,000. Before the hearing, the man’s father told WITN that the system failed his son. He did not explain further.