Thursday, 4:30 PM
Police: Estranged husband tried to burn wife, son in Marion fire
(David G. Curran for the Boston Globe)
Flames ripped through the roof of a home at 760 Mill St. in Marion early this morning in what officials allege was an attempted domestic dispute.
By Andrew Ryan, Globe Correspondent
A husband faces attempted murder and arson charges today after police say he tried to kill his estranged wife and teenage son overnight by lighting their Marion home on fire.
Marion police spotted a car that belonged to William Sprague, 46, on Mill Street at about 4:15 a.m. about 100 yards from the home of his estranged wife. Police knew that there was an active retraining order that prohibited Sprague from going near his wife, according to a police report.
As officers investigated, Sprague's wife called police dispatch to say that her home was on fire. Sprague's wife, teenage son and a dog were able to escape the blaze without injury.
While firefighters from three towns extinguished the fire, police searched nearby woods with dogs and found Sprague. He was charged with two counts of attempted murder; arson of a dwelling; two counts of arson of personal property; and violating an abuse prevention order.
Sprague appeared today in Wareham District Court and was ordered held on $100,000 cash bail. He is due back in court Nov. 15.
