PANAMA CITY — Two Panama City men were taken to jail after a house fire call turned out to be a bonfire, the Panama City Police Department said Wednesday.
Police were called to a residence in the 100 block of North James Avenue Wednesday at 1:30 a.m., in reference to a suspected structure fire. Once on scene, officers determined the structure was not on fire but that a bonfire was ablaze in the backyard of the residence.
Officers approached the fire and observed two males standing near the blaze. One of the suspects then threw something into the fire and the two fled into a wooded area behind the residence. Police pursued the two but lost sight of them due to the fire and smoke.
The Panama City Fire Department responded and extinguished the fire. Officers then searched a wooded area at the location where they suspected the two men fled and found Leslie Harold Anderson, 46, and Jerald Eugene Overturf, 55, lying in the brush.
The two men were taken into custody.
When searched, police found methamphetamine and misdemeanor amounts of marijuana on Anderson, police reported.
The two were transported to the Bay County Jail. Anderson was charged with possession of marijuana and methamphetamine, possession of drug paraphernalia and violation of open burning.
Overturf was charged with the open burning violation.