After initially denying his involvement, a former Penn State student confessed to the arsons of two State College Police cars and a Marine Corps recruiting office, according to a criminal complaint.

He told police he was frustrated after hearing news of a student who had been hit by a police cruiser and upset over the death of a friend in the Marines who had committed suicide, according to the criminal complaint. But the man also said he was under the influence of alcohol and mental health medications, and was suffering from mental health issues during the time he committed the arsons, according to the complaint.

Police said Mason Worley, 21, of Souderton, Pa., intentionally started the fires in three separate incidents. The fires completely destroyed one police cruiser, damaged another cruiser and caused damage to the office door and adjacent hallway at the Marine Corps recruiting office at 242 S. Fraser St.

The fires caused about $11,697 in property damage, according to court documents.

Worley was unavailable to comment and his father, when reached, also declined to comment on the charges.

Worley is charged with five counts each of felony grade three arson and related offenses in connection with the incidents, according to court documents. Worley also faces multiple charges of institutional vandalism and criminal mischief, according to court documents.

Worley was identified after an employee at Uni-Mart, 401 S. Pugh St. alerted police to surveillance video of a suspicious male who purchased lighter fluid in addition to an iced tea, brownie, and Bic lighter on July 22, according to court documents.

After the video was released to the media by police, an anonymous online tip sent to police on Nov. 9 identified Mason Worley as the man in the video, according to court documents.

Days later police detectives met with Worley, who denied his involvement in the arsons. Worley told detectives that he failed out of Penn State and was also turned down from enlisting in the Marines because of medical reasons, according to court documents.

In December, police were contacted by Worley’s attorney, Tim Fleming. Fleming told police his client was responsible for all three arson incidents and wanted to cooperate with police, according to court documents.

In a Dec. 20 meeting with Worley, his attorney and police, Worley admitted to committing the arsons. Worley said the first incident started as a result of his frustration with a student who had been hit by a police cruiser, according to court documents. Worley said he thought the student had died as a result of the accident.

The student in question had been struck by a police cruiser April 25 and sustained injuries, but recovered.

At the time of the first arson, Worley was “using several mental health drugs and would go out drinking,” according to court documents. Worley also said he would take a black backpack with him which contained “spray paint, medication, a knife, and lighter fluid,” according to court documents.

In the first incident at 1:20 a.m. June 21, officers were able to extinguish a lit package containing 200 “M-80” firecrackers placed on top of an unmarked police cruiser parked behind that State College Municipal Building, 243 S. Allen St.

Worley did not remember all of the details of the first arson but did admit to lighting and throwing a pack of fireworks on top of an unmarked police cruiser, according to court documents.

During the second incident, Worley was “under the influence of mental health medications and alcohol,” and again went out with his black backpack, according to court documents.

Worley said he poured lighter fluid on and under the car before igniting it, according to court documents. The cruiser “went up in flames worse than what he had expected,” before he fled the scene, according to court documents. The vehicle was completely destroyed, causing about $10,425 in damage.

Days later, Worley said he was upset about a friend in the Marines who committed suicide, and was again under the influence of mental health medications and alcohol, according to court documents. After a night of drinking Worley purchased “snacks and a container of charcoal lighter fluid,” from the Pugh Street Uni-Mart before going to the top of the Beaver Avenue parking garage, according to court documents.

Worley said he thought about committing suicide but he became “fixated on the Marine recruiter’s office on Fraser Street,” according to court documents.

After attempting to gain access to the office, Worley said he sprayed the accelerant onto the door and into the office through the mail slot before igniting the blaze, according to court documents. After he realized the door also served as an entrance and exit to the two floors of apartments above the office, Worley said he “observed the recruiting office to make sure the office did not catch on fire and endanger the residents of the apartment building,” according to court documents.

Worley was released on $150,000 unsecured bail and waived his charges to trial on Monday, police said.