On Thursday morning, at 8:36 am, Alaska State Troopers received a call from the community of Chuathbaluk, relating an incident that reportedly took place there.

According to the trooper report, 26-year-old Chuathbaluk resident Arnold Simeon Jr reported to them that a 19-year-old from the community had become very angry and had attacked him. He reported being strangled as well, and in addition, said that the man had pointed a .22 caliber rifle at his head.

Simeon also told the troopers that the man, who was at Simeon’s father’s house, had threatened to kill him and burn the house down.

At 8:53 am, as the troopers were preparing to depart to the village, they received more information coming from the community. It was reported that the residence was ablaze and fully engulfed with flames.

Troopers from Aniak, the Village Public Safety Officer as well as a Deputy Fire Marshal responded to Chuathbaluk and began their investigation into the incident.

Because the community does not have an organized fire department or any firefighting equipment, investigators arrived to find that the four bedroom house was a total loss.

During the course of the investigation, according to the trooper report, Simeon would admit to authorities, that he had scared the 19-year-old by firing a rifle multiple times and also physically fought with the man.

Simeon also admitted that after the fight, he had started the fire in the residence’s living room. It was that fire that burned down the home.

Simeon was placed under arrest by troopers. Simeon was charged with Arson II, Assault III X2, Misconduct Involving Weapons IV, and making a false report.

He was transported to Bethel and remanded to the Yukon-Kuskokwim Correctional Center without bail pending arraignment.

Chuathbaluk has a population of approximately 135 and is located 11 miles upriver from Aniak and is situated on the north shore of the Kuskokwim River. The community is 87 miles northeast of Bethel and 310 miles west of Anchorage.