A Baxter County man is accused of intentionally setting fire to a house he lived at, telling authorities that a higher power had influenced him, according to the sheriff’s office.

Scott G. Willett, 25, of Gassville faces one felony count of arson, a class A felony, after authorities responded to the fire at 11:49 a.m. Sept. 5 at 249 Wildcat Shoals Road, a news release states.

Willett initially told investigators that he had first learned of the blaze after leaving and returning to the home later in the day to find firefighters at the scene, according to the sheriff’s office.

A neighbor later told authorities that Willett could be seen on surveillance camera at the property that morning.

The footage showed smoke coming from the back side of the home near the master bedroom around 30 seconds after Willett left the home around 11:36 a.m.

When shown the video, he confessed to starting the fire, which is owned by his mother, according to the sheriff’s office.

“God told me to,” Willett told investigators.

Willett, who was already jailed on unrelated misdemeanor charges, remained at the Baxter County jail in lieu of $75,000 bond as of Wednesday afternoon, records show.

He has an appearance scheduled for Thursday in Baxter County Circuit Court.