Myrtle Beach man charged with arson after attempting to burn down girlfriend’s home

A Myrtle Beach man is charged with arson and domestic violence after attempting to burn down his girlfriend’s house Friday.

Jesse Eugene Allen, 55, of Myrtle Beach is charged with public disorderly conduct, arson and domestic violence of a high and aggravated nature.

Horry County police responded to 5603 Mill Pond Road in Myrtle Beach around 8:31 a.m. Friday in reference to domestic violence. When officers arrived, a 64-year-old victim told police Allen threatened to burn down her house.

Allen admitted to throwing a glass bottle through the victim’s window, and officers found a broken window in the bedroom of the house, according to the police report.

The victim told police Allen had called her several times that morning and threatened to burn her house down. While the victim was getting her cellphone to show police, an officer noticed black smoke coming from the home, the report said.

The smoke was coming from a fire in the bedroom – where the bottle had broken a window – and the mattress was on fire, the report said.

The officer and victim exited the residence, and the officer attempted to put out the fire with a fire extinguisher. The victim was trying to throw water on the fire, but it “engulfed the entire walls and was spreading to the ceiling,” the report said.

“I knew that any attempts to extinguish the flames with the fire extinguisher would be futile,” the report said.

Horry County Fire Rescue arrived and put out the fire.

Officers reviewed call logs and voice mail on the victim’s phone, and police were alerted that Allen was recently seen walking down Highway 814 near Mill Pond Road.

Police arrested Allen near Peachtree Drive, and he had a “strong odor of alcohol,” his eyes were glassy and his speech was slurred, the report said.

Allen is being held at J. Reuben Long Detention Center on a $20,262.50 bond, according to jail records.

This story was originally published January 4, 2016 at 4:21 PM with the headline "Myrtle Beach man charged with arson after attempting to burn down girlfriend’s home."