Vaiden Chief Faces Arson Charge

VAIDEN, Miss. (AP) – Vaiden Mayor Melvin Hawthorne says Police Chief Allen Vance will stay on the job while out on bond on charges of arson and conspiracy to commit arson on insured property.

Hawthorne tells the Greenwood Commonwealth (http://bit.ly/13tpE3u ) that the board of aldermen wanted more information before taking any possible personnel action. Aldermen will meet again Monday.

The state fire marshal’s office is investigating the burning of a vehicle on Feb. 10. No details have been released.

Vance turned himself in to the Grenada Police Department, where he is also employed as an officer, on Monday. He was released on $15,000 bond for each of two charges – conspiracy to commit arson on an insured property and arson on insured property.

Vance has been police chief since September 2010.