KOSCIUSKO — A third person has been arrested related to incidents leading up to a death investigation in early April that involved a hit and run and arson.

Mark Edward Blankenship, 49, 509 W. Elm St., Pierceton, is being charged with aiding, inducing or causing arson, a level 4 felony; and obstruction of justice, a level 6 felony. Blankenship was booked May 15 on a $30,250 surety and cash bond.

Blake D. Dull, 24, 407 W. Elm St., Pierceton; and Hannah E. Shea, 28, 1815 Hepler Drive, Warsaw were both arrested in April. Dull is facing charges of arson, a level 4 felony; and leaving the scene of an accident, causing death, a level 5 felony. Shea is being charged with aiding, inducing or causing arson, a level 4 felony.

On April 7, an officer with the Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Department responded to a vehicle fire in Milford. Upon arrival, the vehicle was fully engulfed in flames. It was discovered that the vehicle belonged to Dull. Dull told the officer that he set the vehicle on fire because he owed money on it and his mother couldn’t afford the payments because he was “going to jail for a long time.”

At 2:21 a.m. April 7, the Warsaw Police Department responded to the 700 block of North Lake Street in reference to an EMS assist for an unresponsive person identified as Matthew C. Hoshal. Hoshal was transported by Lutheran EMS to Fort Wayne Lutheran Hospital, where he was later pronounced dead by medical staff.

An officer received information that Blankenship had additional information about Dull being involved in the leaving the scene causing death incident and arson of the vehicle.

According to the affidavit of probable cause, Blankenship told the officer that he met with Dull and Shea on April 7. Blankenship advised that Dull told him he hit a pedestrian on Lake Street and thought he killed the pedestrian and that Shea was present during the incident.

Blankenship advised that Dull wanted to burn his vehicle to cover up damage that occurred after hitting the pedestrian. Blankenship followed Dull and Shea to Milford and they set the vehicle on fire. Blankenship then took Dull and Shea to a residence in Pierceton.

Officers also spoke with Shea, who admitted that she was with Dull when Dull hit a person while driving. She told the officer that they were both intoxicated at the time and decided to burn the vehicle to get rid of the evidence.