Marshfield Man Faces Charges After Allegedly Setting His Own Boat On Fire
MARSHFIELD (CBS) – A Marshfield man is under arrest after a big effort by police on land, in the air and on the water.
David Pongonis, 36, is facing multiple charges after Marshfield Police responded to a boat engulfed in flames on the South River early Wednesday morning. The boat, owned by Pongonis, sank to the bottom of the river, and police say he set it on fire.
Police also discovered a skiff – which they said might have been used by the suspect to flee – has been stolen from across the river. Police used drones and a detective in a plane to find Pongonis, who was spotted in the North River.
When he was arrested, Pongonis was covered in blood from self-inflicted wounds. Authorities say they want to find out why he allegedly burnt the boat and if there's anything more to the crime.
"We're also actively investigating. Was there somebody else with him or something else we should be looking for? And through the use of robots from the Quincy Police Department, we're going to do a thorough search of the river," said Marshfield Police Chief Phil Tavaris.
After the search, the boat will be raised.
Pongonis was released from the hospital on Wednesday afternoon. He was arraigned and released on personal recognizance.
