BENTON – A Benton man was arrested Tuesday morning on meth and other charges following an incident at the Benton Fire Department Training Facility.

According to Franklin County Sheriff Kyle Bacon, 49-year-old Kenneth W. Shurtz is charged with Obstructing a Peace Officer, Criminal Trespass to Property, Criminal Damage to State Supported Property, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, and Possession of Methamphetamine. He was taken to and lodged in the Franklin County Jail.

Sheriff Bacon says a sheriff’s patrol unit was traveling on Grand Street in Benton at 8 a.m. and saw a large amount of smoke billowing from the fire’s department training facility. No vehicles or fire department apparatus were present at the facility.

Upon further investigation a man was seen standing in a second story doorway of the facility. Upon making contact, the man jumped from the second story and fled on foot from the location. A host of sheriff’s deputies and Benton Police officers arrived in the area and were eventually able to take the subject into custody several blocks away from the facility. He was soon identified as Shurtz. He was then charged with the previously mentioned offenses and taken to jail.