Watertown man charged with setting fire to brother’s home

October 2, 2020
Mike Tanner

WATERTOWN, S.D.—A man has been arrested and charged with arson for setting fire to a Waverly home in August.

Codington County Sheriff Brad Howell says 22 year-old Bradford Dylan Thompson of Watertown was indicted by a Grand Jury this week for First Degree Arson and Reckless Burning.

It stems from an August 16th fire at the home of Thompson’s brother—Devin Thompson. Bradford Thompson told investigators he had crawled out a bedroom window and onto part of the roof to escape, and that he jumped to the ground prior to law enforcement and firefighters arriving.

Thompson was not injured, and no one else was inside the home.

Fire departments from Stockholm, South Shore and Watertown worked to extinguish the fire.

The home sustained heavy damage. Bradford Thompson was being held in jail in Watertown on $5,000 cash bond.