The six men -- including Seigler's 60-year-old father Wink -- had camped out overnight since Sunday, hiding in bushes and behind trees trying to catch a firebug. Someone had torched a boat, carports and cars in a series of four fires over five days.
Police have now charged Shannon Dale Goss, 27, of Gastonia, in connection with all of the fires. He was being held late Thursday in Gaston County jail on $250,000 bond. He had moved to Harper Road in recent weeks and neighbors suspected he was the firebug.
Seigler, 35, said he had seen Goss running away from the scene of two fires early Sunday morning. He called police, but no charges were filed.
The neighborhood then mobilized on Sunday night. All they encountered was hungry mosquitoes that first night, but early Monday they tackled a man -- Goss -- who was walking around Scott Seigler's home and held him until police arrived.
Police interviewed Goss, who they said had a black eye when they arrived. But no charges were filed in connection with the fires, nor Goss' injury.
Seigler's group prepared for another wakeful night.
Early Wednesday morning, Seigler said, he saw Goss again, this time throwing a flaming object toward his family's auto body shop and setting fire to a "No Trespassing" sign they had posted the day before.
Police charged Goss with possession of a weapon of mass destruction -- a Molotov cocktail -- plus burning personal property and intimidating a witness in connection with that fire.
But he posted $15,000 bond and was released Wednesday night. Seigler's group resumed its watch.
The police investigation into the earlier fires continued until Thursday when they arrested Goss again. He was then charged with one count each of first- and second-degree arson, three counts of felony burning of personal property, one count of burning of a boat, two counts of burning unoccupied buildings and two counts of felony breaking and entering, police said.
Scott Seigler said the now-united neighbors will create a formal community watch group.
