Mineral County Sheriff Jeremy Taylor says motive behind the arson at Berean Independent Baptist Church was spite. 27 year old Caleb Lusk was arrested shortly after an investigation into the fire and charged with arson. According to Mineral County Sheriff Jeremy Taylor, Lusk was depressed and had having domestic issues. He says Lusk targeted the church because his wife and her family attended worship there “out of spite.” He is currently being held at the Potomac Highlands Regional Jail where he is being held on 75 thousand dollars bond. Taylor says emergency crews were called to the scene just after 4am yesterday morning. The fire had been burning for several hours before a passerby noticed the blaze. Heavy dense fog is believed to be the reason the fire went unnoticed for so long. Taylor says an arson dog and ATF officials were all called to the scene to investigate. Taylor says he was shocked to learn the motive behind the arson.
