18-Year-Old Admitted To New Year's Day Fire: Gwinnett FD

LAWRENCEVILLE, GA — A Lawrenceville man has been charged with three felonies related to a New Year's Day house fire on Castle Royale Drive in Lawrenceville, according to authorities.

Austin Childers, 18, faces charges of burglary, first-degree arson and possession of tools for the commission of a crime, the release from Gwinnett County fire authorities.

Authorities say a Wednesday, Jan. 8 incident led to his arrest around 2:30 a.m., according to jail records. While in jail, he admitted to the burglary and arson fire, the release says.

According to the release, a responding fire crew and a second witness saw a person on a skateboard matching Childers' description that night, and Ring doorbell footage shows a man fitting his description in relation to other crimes in the area that night.

Childers faces a litany of charges. According to the release, he's also charged with:

• DUI
• Speeding
• Improper lane change
• Open container
• Fleeing
• Theft by receiving stolen property
• Burglary
• Possession of tools in the commission of a crime
• Theft by taking
• Criminal damage in the second degree

Police are pursuing additional charges as well.