Missing Hamden man found; arson suspected in home fire

A Hamden man who was declared missing after his mobile home was set ablaze spent four days hiding in the woods, according to the Delaware County Sheriff's Office.

On Monday morning, police and emergency responders found William D. Lawson's home at 866 Chambers Hollow Road engulfed in flames, and Lawson nowhere to be found. Police say the 47-year-old Lawson was found on Thursday evening, after a passing driver contacted 911 to report seeing Lawson outside of his burned home.

Deputies found Lawson in a wooded area, where he had been hiding since the fire. When found, Lawson was suffering from chest pain and dehydration, and was taken to the Delaware Valley Hospital in Walton by the Walton Emergency Squad.

According to a press release, an investigation has revealed that the fires that destroyed Lawson's home and a storage shed were set deliberately. The Delaware County Sheriff's Office expects that an arrest will be made soon.