A suspect has been arrested in connection with three fires that occurred on Wednesday, March 14, according to Gillespie County Sheriff Buddy Mills.

Miles B. Branch VI, 37, of Fredericksburg was taken into custody and is being held at the Gillespie County Jail on charges of evading arrest and/or detention; possession of drug paraphernalia; arson to a habitation; burglary of a habitation, and arson, Mills said.

Branch’s bond has been set at $152,500.

Local law enforcement received a call at 10:20 a.m. on Wednesday about a suspicious person on Northwest Drive walking up to a home.

Sheriff’s officers responded and searched the area but were unable to locate the subject. While the officers were in the area, a fire erupted at a home on Northwest Drive. The local fire department responded along with the officers in the area, according to Mills.

Moments later, another fire erupted at an RV on Balcones Drive. Additional firefighters and law enforcement agencies responded to the scene and it was determined the suspicious subject was seen at both locations.

Additional officers from every agency and department within Gillespie County, the State Fire Marshal’s Office, and Texas Forest Service assisted in searching for the suspect.

Fires were also reported in the heavily wooded area between West Oak Drive and Northwest Hills.

Law enforcement launched a drone to try to locate the suspect and any other fires. Texas Department of Public Safety air support arrived a short time later from Austin to aid in the search.

Branch was located in a pasture north of the fires and evaded authorities on foot. He was subsequently located and arrested at 2:22 p.m.