A Hartland man entered provisional not guilty pleas Thursday in Freeborn County District Court in connection to an alleged arson in June in Albert Lea. 

Nathan Elliot Nolan, 31, is charged with three counts of first-degree arson.

Court documents state Nolan was charged after the Albert Lea Police Department was dispatched on the morning of June 13 to a residence on 11th Street on a report that a male had started a fire on a deck and was destroying items in the garage.

Upon arriving, an officer found the west side of the deck was on fire. The fire was later extinguished.

An officer was unable to locate the suspect, court documents state. The homeowner reportedly said Nolan had been in the house, was agitated, kicked in two doors and caused some damage.

Nolan was reported as having tried to get car keys from someone in the house and ripping parts out of a vehicle — as though he was trying to hotwire it — before leaving, court documents state.

An officer observed damage to bedroom doors, a broken hasp and damage to the vehicle.

Court documents state a witness saw Nolan pour oil on the deck. They reportedly did not see Nolan light the oil on fire, but assumed that is what he intended to do.

Court documents state the witness said that when they talked to Nolan later, he did not mention the fire, but made a racial slur.

A settlement conference is scheduled for Sept. 28, and a jury trial is scheduled for Feb. 14, if the case has not been settled by then.

Albert Lea police arrested Nolan on a local arrest warrant earlier this month after he failed to appear for his first appearance on the charges in July.