Man covered in gas busted for arson …. WHAT???? May 16, 2013

A man who deputies saw leaving the scene of a vehicle fire in Golden Gate on Tuesday was arrested and charged with arson.

Oscar Tejada, 29, was ‘covered in gas’ when a deputy pulled him over during a traffic stop after spotting Tejada leaving the scene of the fire, according to arrest reports.

Deputies also found a gas can and lighter in Tejada’s vehicle, along with receipts for the items, reports said.

Tejada, 821 7th St. S.W., is charged with second-degree arson, a felony.

Arrest reports gave this account:

A deputy patrolling Golden Gate came upon a vehicle on fire on Santa Barbara Boulevard at 27th Court Southwest around 1:47 a.m.. The deputy noticed a Ford truck with its lights on leaving the scene and became suspicious.

After confirming that no one was inside the burning vehicle, the deputy attempted to locate the truck. The deputy spotted the truck at the intersection of of 55th Terrace Southwest and Coronado Parkway. When the deputy approached the intersection the driver of the truck sped off.

The deputy activated the emergency lights on his cruiser and attempted to make a traffic stop in the 2700 block of Santa Barbara Boulevard, but the driver kept on going. The driver pulled over on Golden Gate Parkway.

As the deputy approached the truck, he noticed a gas can in the truck bed. The driver, whom the deputy identified as Tejada, smelled strongly of gasoline. Tejada told the deputy he spilled gas on himself while putting it in the gas can in the bed of the truck.

When the deputy asked him why he was in the vicinity of the burning car, Tejada replied, “I wasn’t and I don’t know.”

A search of the truck turned up an empty container for a “diamond” lighter and also an empty package for non-slip gloves. When the deputy asked him if he smoked, Tejada replied no. Deputies also searched Tejada’s pockets and found receipts for the gas can, lighter and gloves. He also had $4,100 cash in his wallet.

In addition to arson, Tejada was charged with felony driving on a suspended license. He has three prior convictions for driving on a suspended license, reports said.

Enraged wife set kitchen fire to “go out in a blaze of glory” April 3, 2013

Marion County, FL (April 1, 2013). Michelle Diane Fowler Osteen Bedillion, 46, of Dunnellon is in the Marion County Jail and will soon face a judge to deal with a domestic Aggravated Battery and Arson charge. This incident started just before 9 p.m., Sunday, March 31, 2013 at 6955 SW 157th Lane, Dunnellon.

The victim, Carlos Bedillion, 46, called to report his wife (Michelle) hitting him in the back of head with a heavy picture frame. She then threw a computer printer at him, striking him in the back. Carlos ran out of the house and watched his wife from an outside window pour cooking oil on the stove and counters of the kitchen and light it on fire. Carlos then kicked in the door and put the fire out as his wife ran out the back door.

The Marion County Sheriff’s Office K9 tracked the suspect to a wooded area behind the home. When asked about hitting her husband, Michelle stated “He deserved whatever he got.” When asked about the oil and burned kitchen, Michelle replied, “I was going out in a blaze of glory”.

ARRESTED:                 W/F Michelle Diane Fowler Osteen Bedillion

D.O.B:                           08/15/1966 CHARGES:

Domestic Aggravated Battery                                       Arson

Man burned paper towels in restroom, tried to flee on skateboard | Mugalicious March 29, 2013

CRESTVIEW – A 24-year-old Crestview man is accused of going into a public bathroom, setting fire to a batch of paper towels, then trying to flee lawmen on a skateboard.

Oh, and he had marijuana in his pocket, according to the arrest report.

The incident took place March 10 at Twin Hills Park. A former state forestry official walked into the men’s room near the park’s walking path and saw Levi Seth Merritt crouched near the partition separating the urinal and the sink. On the floor were burned paper towels. The official said Merritt stood up quickly and threw the paper towels into the trash, washed his hands and left the room.

When Crestview Police officers tried to stop him, Merritt allegedly hopped aboard a skateboard and tried to flee. He was cut off by another officer, but he tried to pull away. Eventually he was handcuffed.

Merritt said he didn’t hear officers order him to stop because he was wearing earphones, but an eyewitness said he wasn’t wearing earphones at the time.

When officers searched Merritt they found a gram of marijuana in a package in his pocket. He was also carrying a glass smoking device and two packages of rolling papers.

He was charged with arson, possession of marijuana – less than 20 grams, possession of paraphernalia, and resisting arrest without violence.

Self-proclaimed ‘fire bug’ set next door home ablaze, called 911, grabbed a beer March 15, 2013

Meet the arsonist next door.

Exactly one year ago officials said James Bates was arrested for arson and later convicted. He is currently serving 10-years of felony probation, deputies said.
But Bates apparently can’t stop rekindling an affair with an old flame: On the one-year anniversary of last year’s arson arrest, Bates was busted again…for arson.

Dispatchers got a call at 4:29 a.m. Wednesday from a man who told them that he “just got woken up by an alarm.”  The man also reported the vacant home next his New Smyrna Beach home was “engulfed in flames” that “were going silly now,” according to a news release from the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office.

After being advised by the 911 dispatcher to keep folks aways from the fire, 44-year-old James Bates responded,  “Alright. Please come, ‘cuz this thing is really getting goofy,” the release stated.
When deputies arrived they said they spotted Bates sitting in a chair in his yard next door, drinking a beer and watching the action.

Officials immediately launched an investigation which utilized the helpful noses of bloodhounds from the Tomoka Correctional Institution located nearby.
The dogs’ sensitive noses followed the scent of an arson suspect, which led directly next door to Bates.
Upon further questioning by investigators, Bates initially claimed that he had been awakened by barking dogs and then saw the raging blaze, investigators said.

But Bates later recanted his story and allegedly ‘fessed up to setting the fire, the release stated.
The State Fire Marshal’s Office charged Bates with Arson and Burglary while the Sheriff’s Office added a Violation of Probation charge before hauling him off to the slammer.

Truck Carrying Trees Catches Fire on I-75 in Broward March 12, 2013

Major delays were reported on I-75 southbound in Broward County after a truck carrying palm trees caught on fire.

The incident happened just before 7 a.m. south of Indian Trace. Firefighters arrived and put out the blaze.

The fire began when the truck had a blow out and friction or something similar caused a spark that set the trees on fire, Florida Highway Patrol spokesman Sgt. Mark Wysocky said.

Wysocky said the driver of the truck was able to disconnect the trailer from his truck and no one was injured.

The incident caused all the southbound lanes to be closed temporarily. The lanes were later reopened by 8 a.m. Wysocky said.

Florida Woman Upset Over Relationship Sets Miami Cop’s House On Fire March 9, 2013

A woman was arrested for setting the house of a Miami police officer on fire becasue she was upset about the status of their relationship, Lauderhill Police said Friday.

Nancy Brewer, 25, was charged with one count of arson for setting Sgt. Travis Lindsey’s Lauderhill house ablaze.

Brewer was being held in Broward County jail Friday with a $50,000 bond. She didn’t immediately have an attorney.

On March 6, she arrived at Lindsey’s house around 5:45 a.m., and after pouring gasoline around the house, Brewer tied a cloth to the front door and set it on fire, according to the arrest report. She also set various mats in the house on fire, the report said.

Brewer then called 911 and drove to Miami police and turned herself in, saying she may have hurt an officer, the report.

The arrest report said she provided a third party confession to another police officer.

Dozens of puppies killed in Miami strip mall fire February 22, 2013

MIAMI - Fire swept through a strip mall Wednesday night, killing as many as 30 puppies in a pet store, according to fire officials.

Firefighters responded to the blaze around 10 p.m. after several 911 calls of heavy smoke billowing from a building.

The mall is located at NW 7th Avenue and 32nd Street, just northeast of the Magic City Casino, formerly known as the Flagler Dog Track.

The fire stretched through multiple businesses, many of which were destroyed, officials say.

Man gets 10 years in prison for trying to set his wife on fire, but instead burned himself February 12, 2013

A Tampa Bay area man who severely burned himself while trying to set his estranged wife on fire has been sentenced to 10 years in prison.

As part of a deal with Hillsborough County prosecutors, 51-year-old Matthew Wong pleaded guilty Monday to attempted murder. The Tampa Bay Times reports that he attended the hearing in a wheelchair.

Prosecutors say Wong and his wife had been separated for several months last February when he drove to the Countrywood Apartment Complex in a rental car and waited for her to leave for work.

Authorities say Wong chased his wife and tried to splash gasoline on her. Instead he got the gas all over himself. The woman escaped into an apartment, and he poured gas on the entryway. When he lit it, fire blew back and engulfed him.

Teen accused of torching his old flame’s family’s home

A joint investigation between the Walton County Sheriff’s Office and the State Fire Marshall’s Office led to the arrest of a suspect in connection to an arson that occurred on January 7, 2013 on San Juan Avenue in Seagrove.  Angus Bishop Anderson, 19, of DeFuniak Springs, was arrested and charged on February 8, 2013.

The investigation revealed Anderson was distraught over a recent break up with the home owner’s daughter.  Anderson set fire to the beach house where he had spent time with the girl’s family.

Anderson was transported and booked into the Walton County Department of Corrections.  He was charged with Arson, Burglary, Grand Theft and Criminal Mischief.

Man set fire to his ex-girlfriend’s clothes January 13, 2013

Tampa Police have arrested a man who they say intentionally set fire to his ex-girlfriend’s clothes that spread into the home.

Police say on Thursday Fredrick Taylor doused clothing and other items in accelerant and set them on fire in the exterior laundry room of the home in the 1200 block of 99th Avenue which then spread to the rest of the home. Three people inside at the time were able to escape without injury.

Taylor’s ex-girlfriend, who was home at the time, told police Taylor had threatened her earlier in the day. Witnesses also told police they saw Taylor running from the home just after the fire started.

Citizen tips lead police to Taylor’s location Friday and he was arrested without incident in the 1300 block of Humphrey Street. He has been charged with arson.