An Oakland Township man is behind bars on charges he threw a brick and other items at a firefighter and pulled a knife on firefighters and ambulance medics called to a blaze at a home on Route 38.

State police Saturday arrested Jacob Adam Rivers, 23, on felony assault and other charges in connection with the incident shortly after 11 a.m. Friday. No one was injured.

But before his arrest and after the fire, Butler police said Rivers allegedly threw a bag of change at the owner of the Monroe Hotel while panhandling Friday afternoon at the restaurant. He also is a suspect in multiple car break-ins, and the thefts of mail and a bicycle that afternoon, city police said.

Rivers was arraigned on two counts of aggravated assault and charges of terroristic threats, reckless endangerment, obstructing emergency services and disorderly conduct, in the altercation at the fire. He is being held in lieu of $25,000 bond.

Unionville and Oneida Valley volunteer firefighters were among several departments that responded to the fire on the 400 block of Route 38 at the Oakland-Center Township line. Flames and smoke were coming from the two-story house when crews got there.

First on the scene was Unionville firefighter Mark Lauer. He arrived in his personal vehicle and found a man, later identified as Rivers, who refused to stay out of the house.

Not far behind was Oneida Valley Fire Chief Gary Wulff, who said he believed Rivers was living at the home with his girlfriend. He said the house is owned by the girlfriend's aunt.

“(Rivers) was in the house, and he wanted to continue getting items out of the house,” Wulff said Saturday, “and (Lauer) grabbed a hold of him because the house was fully engulfed in flames.”

He described the defendant as “resisting” and “fighting” with Lauer.

Once outside, Rivers “grabbed a brick and threw the brick at (Lauer),” Wulff said. “Then he grabbed a planter and threw the planter at him”

Police said they believe it was a case of Gatorade bottles, not a planter.

Rivers subsequently drew a knife from a leather sheath that was attached to his belt, police said, and brandished it at Wulff, who was near the front porch. Police allege the suspect also was threatening Lauer and two Butler Ambulance Service emergency medical technicians.

“The defendant was “waving (the knife) at me,” Wulff said of the knife that had an 8-inch blade.

“He was just yelling that he had the right to carry a knife,” the fire chief said. “I was yelling at him telling him to throw it into the bushes, that I needed him to get rid of his weapon.”

Police later arrived, but they apparently did not witness the altercation with the firefighters, and Rivers left the scene as firefighters battled the blaze. Fire officials later contacted police and advised them about what happened, which led to the charges.

Butler police said they encountered Rivers about 3:30 p.m. Friday at the Monroe Hotel on East Jefferson Street, where he was allegedly begging for money while impaired. After he was kicked out of the restaurant, police said, he is accused of throwing a Ziploc bag of coins at the owner.

The bag contained “a good $20 worth of change,” police Lt. David Villotti said Sunday. The victim suffered minor injuries.

Officers arrested Rivers for public intoxication, and he was held at the station until sober. He was released about 9:30 p.m.

Villotti said Rivers is facing charges of simple assault, reckless endangerment, public drunkenness and panhandling. But police have also identified him as a suspect in car ransackings at the Butler Memorial Hospital parking lot and in the Institute Hill area, and in the theft of mail from mailboxes, and the theft of a bicycle in the Institute Hill area Friday afternoon.

State police eventually arrested Rivers, who was booked into the Butler County Prison at 10:45 p.m. Saturday, authorities said.

Villotti said city police are asking that any other victims of car ransackings or mail thefts in the area of Institute Hill to call 911.

Wulff, meanwhile, said the altercation with the defendant delayed firefighters getting into the house by about five minutes.

The blaze was under control by 11:30 a.m., fire officials said. The house was destroyed, but Wulff said the downstairs contents were salvageable.

A number of pets were rescued, but a ferret died.

A state police fire marshal investigated but a cause was not immediately known. The fire was not believed to be suspicious.