Two suspects have been charged in connection with the fire at Mike’s Tire in Crossville last week.

The pair was caught on surveillance camera attempting to steal gasoline around 3:30am at Mike’s Tire on Highway 227 and failed miserable in their endeavor with the vehicle igniting as one of the offenders was attempting to drill a hole in the gas tank.  The blaze eventually burned five vehicles and one of the buildings at the business – causing approximately $150,000 worth of damage.

Chris Ennis, age 21 from Gadsden was officially charged Wednesday with Criminal Mischief 1st Degree and Arson 3rd Degree.  Ennis was already in custody on charges of Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, Possession of a Controlled Substance, Attempting to Elude, Failure to Comply, and a Probation Violation.

He had led the Crossville Police Department and a Deputy with the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office on a foot pursuit in Crossville last Friday in an unrelated incident.  The other suspect, identified as 19 year old Drew Tidwell of an Albertville address, was taken into custody late Wednesday afternoon by investigators, and charged with Criminal Mischief 1st Degree, and Arson 3rd Degree.

DeKalb County Sheriff Nick Welden stated: “I’d like to thank the public for sharing the video and helping us develop leads in the case.  Tips helped with charging those suspects with the crime.  If this business and another nearby business did not have a surveillance system, this would have been a much more difficult case.”