UMATILLA, Fla. — Residents living in the Umatilla area of Lake County are resting easy after deputies arrested the man they are accusing of setting a string of arsons in February and March.

James Anthony Bennett, 48, of Altoona, faces four charges of arson and two counts of armed burglary.

Bennett Friday morning reportedly refused to leave jail to attend his first appearance in court. That means a judge will go ahead and note the charges and decide if Bennett qualifies for bail.

He was taken into custody Thursday at his home in Altoona. Officials say he was taken away peacefully.

Authorities say that each count of arson could result in a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison. Because of that, and the fact that Bennett falls into the category of ‘menace to society,’ the judge is unlikely to recommend bail.

Lake County Sheriff's Office deputies say they’ve had Bennett on their radar for some time throughout their investigation. The biggest break in the case was when a witness came forward and said Bennett was bragging about lighting a cop's car on fire and even told how him he did it.

Probably no one felt as much relief after Bennett was taken into custody as Tyler King. He says a business owner accused him of being the suspected arsonist.

“She called me ‘Fireball,’ that's what she (said), ‘Hey Fireball.’ She told me, and then I said that wasn't me. I've been in Panama for two months,” King said.

At The Old Crow restaurant, they were the first business to get hit by the string of arsons.

“We love to eat here. This is a small family business. Food is out of this world. We would have been upset if this place would have closed down,” said resident Rich Reinert.

Among the other arsons Bennett is being accused of starting is burning a car belonging to a deputy, and another car in this garage, which caused the whole house to catch fire.