A fire that drew suspicion destroyed an iconic landmark.
On July 10, the Taylor Fire Department and other area firefighters responded to the 500 block of Burkett Street for a fire that engulfed the historic home. An investigation is ongoing into the complete loss of the building, which was also a planned museum site.
According to the Taylor Fire Department, at 3:32 a.m., firefighters responded to a call regarding a structure fire. When they arrived around 3:40 a.m., firefighters found the historic former home of Dickey, an early Taylor physician and civil rights pioneer, fully engulfed in flames. Fire crews from Taylor, Round Rock, the Hutto Emergency Services District (ESD), firefighters from ESD 10 in Coupland and Thrall, and volunteers from the Avery-Pickett Volunteer Fire Department attempted to contain the fire, but the structure burned to the ground.
The fire was extinguished around 4:45 a.m. Firefighters were also able to extinguish a small grass fire that started as a result of the incident.
After the fire was extinguished, the State Fire Marshal and Taylor Police Department detectives were called to the scene to assist with the investigation of the incident. The Fire Marshal found no evidence that accelerants were used, but police do consider the incident to be suspicious. A probable arrest warrant for James Paul Gogolewski, 47, of Taylor, was issued July 12. He was arrested and charged with a second-degree felony.
Suspect arrested
According to the arrest affidavit, Gogolewski told his father he “had to burn down that Pagan church.” The Dickey home and future museum was never a church of any kind.
On Saturday, July 9, at 11:42 p.m., officers responded to a call for suspicious circumstances in the 1700 block of Mallard Lane. Gogolewski’s mother told police he left with a can of butane fuel. Officers did not locate him at the time.
Later that night, an officer saw Gogolewski under the bridge in the 1300 block of north Main Street, but quickly lost sight of him.
According to the Taylor Fire Department, at 3:32 a.m., firefighters responded to a call regarding a structure fire. When they arrived around 3:40 a.m., firefighters found the historic former home of Dickey fully engulfed in flames. According to the affidavit, Gogolewski was spotted about a block away from the fire and was questioned by police. Officers noticed his hand was freshly cut. He told police he did not know how he cut himself,
