Arrest Made in Troutman Travel Center Fire

An arrest has been made following a January fire at the Pilot Travel Center just south of Troutman.

Deputies with the Iredell County Sheriff’s Office responded in the early morning hours of January 14 to assist Troutman Fire Department crews, who had already extinguished a fire inside the men’s restroom. Investigators later determined the fire originated in a bathroom stall and was intentionally set.

The case was investigated jointly with the Iredell County Fire Marshal’s Office. Detectives used evidence collected at the scene, along with surveillance footage, to identify 47-year-old Richard Allan Ferguson of Taylorsville as the suspect.

On March 12, Ferguson was located in Alexander County and taken into custody. He is charged with felony burning of an occupied commercial structure and was issued a $150,000 secured bond before being transferred to the Iredell County Detention Center.

Authorities say the investigation remains part of ongoing efforts to hold individuals accountable for dangerous and intentional acts.