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• Man to be sentenced in bookstore arson case

  December 20, 2012 8:13 AM

  DENVER (AP) - A man accused of breaking into a suburban Denver bookstore and planting three homemade bombs is expected to be sentenced on federal charges. The Denver Post reports (http://bit.ly/ZRfx6A) that David Lawless is scheduled for sentencing in federal court Thursday. He faces a minimum of 30 years in... more »

• Woman accused of arson told investigators she was depressed

  December 12, 2012 6:27 PM

  US AIR FORCE ACADEMY - The woman accused of setting fires in an Air Force Academy dormitory told investigators she started them because she felt upset, lonely and depressed. Michelle Smith, 38 was was formally charged Tuesday with four counts of arson. All of the fires were started in... more »

• Air Force Academy contractor arrested for arson

  December 5, 2012 5:27 PM

  US AIR FORCE ACADEMY - A female contractor has been arrested on arson charges in connection with a series of small fires at an Air Force Academy dormitory. Michelle Smith, 38, was booked into the El Paso County Criminal Justice Center Wednesday on four counts of arson. Smith was... more »

• Could there be an arsonist on the east side of Pueblo?

  September 25, 2012 2:28 PM

  There may be an arsonist on the east side of Pueblo. The Fire Department says they've noticed a cluster of about ten fires this past year in one area. They know some of them were not caused by arson, but they are investigating others. They're hoping for any information that... more »

• Mistrail declared in Fort Collins arson case

  September 12, 2012 7:21 PM

  FORT COLLINS, Colo. (AP) - A judge has declared a mistrial in the case of a man accused of setting a fire in Fort Collins that caused an estimated $10 million in damage. The Coloradoan reports the judge declared the mistrial Wednesday after jurors split on all counts against Benjamin... more »

• More email surfaces in Calif. professor arson case

  August 10, 2012 9:14 PM

  NEWPORT BEACH, Calif. (AP) - A university professor who wrote emails outlining a plan to attack the California high school that his late son attended before committing suicide wrote an additional email that described his attempts to burn the school and the assistant principal's home. Local media reports the email... more »

• 7-year-old boy tied to Alaska arson fires

  April 8, 2012 11:28 PM

  JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) - A fire marshal in Alaska's capital city says a 7-year-old boy has admitted setting five arson fires over a little more than four months. Juneau fire marshal Dan Jager tells the Juneau Empire that the boy caused about $1,000 in damages by setting fires in restrooms... more »

• Even without town hall, Green Mtn Falls set to vote

  April 2, 2012 7:30 PM

  The town of Green Mountain Falls is holding local elections Tuesday; the first since the town hall burned down in February. Two men were arrested and are facing arson charges for burning down the historic government center. Now, with the building gone, Tuesday's elections will be held at... more »

• Two people charged in Green Mountain Falls fire

  February 27, 2012 5:18 PM

  Two Colorado Springs men are facing charges for their involvement in the fire that destroyed the Green Mountain Falls Town Hall early Thursday morning. Zachariah Shaffer and Kyle Lawrence are facing charges for First Degree Arson, Second Degree Burglary and Conspiracy to Commit First Degree Arson. Shaffer was arrested... more »

• Police investigate new round of car fires

  December 31, 2011 11:59 AM

  LOS ANGELES (AP) - Several more cars burned in suspected arson attacks in the Los Angeles area early Saturday morning, and authorities are investigating whether they were connected to nearly two dozen deliberately set blazes a day earlier. Police say seven or eight cars burned in the North Hollywood area.... more »

• Man wanted for setting fire at courthouse

  November 23, 2011 5:46 PM

  Officers statewide are on the lookout for a man accused of setting a fire at the Otero County Courthouse. Justin Stevens is wanted for burglary and arson. Investigators say he hid in the courthouse before closing time yesterday, then set a fire and smashed windows. more »

• Man faces arson, assault charges in apartment fire

  August 10, 2011 6:28 PM

  DENVER (AP) - Denver prosecutors say a man accused of assaulting his girlfriend and setting her home on fire has been charged with first-degree arson, criminal mischief and third-degree assault. Twenty-four-year-old Chad Alonzo is due in court Thursday to be formally advised of the charges. The charges allege... more »

• Witness: it looked like they they were setting it on fire

  August 7, 2011 4:03 PM

  A car fire that burned three vehicles in Pueblo Sunday morning looks like it was intentionally set. The blaze began around 9:30 a.m. inside a Cadillac Escalade that was parked at the northwest corner of Pueblo Boulevard and 11th Street. The wind caught the flames and burned two other vehicles... more »

• Arson suspected in Pueblo vehicle fire

  August 7, 2011 1:05 PM

  Arson investigators and detectives with the Pueblo County Sheriff's Office suspect a car fire that burned three vehicles Sunday morning was intentionally started. The blaze apparently began around 9:30 a.m. inside a Cadillac Escalade that was parked at the northwest corner of the intersection of N. Pueblo Boulevard and 11th... more »

• City to destroy confiscated fireworks

  July 25, 2011 9:01 PM

  The police and fire departments in Colorado Springs will be destroying fireworks Tuesday morning that were confiscated during the past year. Fireworks of any kind are illegal within city limits and a news release from the fire department stated that many people were ticketed this year for having fireworks. ... more »

• Think before you light

  July 2, 2011 3:51 PM

  Thinking about setting off fireworks this weekend in Colorado Springs? Think again. The Colorado Springs Fire Department will be running patrols through Monday; they'll be confiscating fireworks and issuing tickets. The department wants to remind people that fireworks are illegal in Colorado Springs and fire conditions have been... more »

• Man uses grill-cam to catch arsonist, ends up catching his wife

  May 8, 2011 4:50 PM

  MEEKER, Okla. (AP) - Authorities say a central Oklahoma man hid a camera in a backyard grill to catch whoever set fires on his property and unexpectedly captured images of his wife starting a blaze. Sharlet Renea Flick, 47, of Meeker has been charged with third-degree arson and endangering... more »

• Teen charged with arson in Douglas County

  April 21, 2011 5:55 PM

  PARKER, Colo. (AP) - Officials have filed second-degree arson charges against a 15-year-old male suspected of starting several fires in a Douglas County subdivision. Authorities at South Metro Fire Rescue said Thursday they've responded to three fires in the Pinery Subdivision over the past few weeks. Charges were filed... more »

• Teen arrested in WalMart fire

  February 22, 2011 7:34 PM

  Colorado Springs Fire Department says more than 40 fire fighters responded to a call yesterday afternoon the WalMart at 5550 Woodmen Road. The fire was classified as arson. Surveillance cameras did catch video of one suspect. He was arrested. Police have identified him as a 15-year-old male. He's charged... more »

• Homeowner commits suicide following house fire

  January 25, 2011 8:44 PM

  A Pueblo man whose home caught on fire early this morning, took his own life after a stand-off with authorities in New Mexico. Pueblo police say Myron (Todd) Thomas, 50, was the focus of an arson investigation. Thomas' house caught fire around 12:45 a.m. according to firefighters. He lived... more »

• Police investigate possible arson fire in Pueblo

  January 25, 2011 12:04 PM

  Pueblo police are investigating a suspicious house fire overnight. "We're treating it as an arson," said Deputy Chief John Ercul, with the Pueblo Police Department. The Pueblo Fire Department says the fire happened at 122 Baylor about 12:45 a.m. According to police the fire started in the basement. ... more »

• Arson suspect booked in jail

  November 9, 2010 7:51 PM

  William Gooch was booked into the El Paso County Criminal Justice Center Tuesday and is currently being held without bond on the charges of First Degree Arson, Felony Menacing, and Failure to leave premises upon request of a peace officer. The man accused of setting his house on fire during... more »

• Arson suspects sought

  October 21, 2010 2:21 PM

  The El Paso County Sheriff's Office is asking for help finding two men who may have started a fire on October 19, 2010 at 6245 Omaha Blvd. in Colorado Springs. Surveillance video shows them, according to deputies, igniting boxes outside the front of Omaha Liquors. The suspects are... more »

• Cars burned at CSU-Pueblo

  October 14, 2010 4:00 PM

  Pueblo County Sheriff's Office is asking for help in finding the person responsible for burning several cars at CSU-Pueblo on Sunday, October 3. One vehicle was destroyed and three others sustained damage. It happened between 4 and 5 a.m. on October 3 in one of the university parking... more »

• Arson charge filed in Reservoir Road fire

  September 24, 2010 1:12 PM

  LOVELAND, Colo. (AP) - Prosecutors have filed an arson charge against a man accused of accidentally igniting a wildfire that destroyed two homes and charred 740 acres in the foothills west of Loveland. Larimer County district attorney's spokeswoman Linda Jensen said Friday that Joel Ledermann has agreed to turn... more »

• Nationally recognized CBI arson dog dies

  May 13, 2010 7:28 PM

  Not all dog stories are happy ones. The Colorado Bureau of Investigations first accelerant-sniffing K-9,"Erin", lost her battle with cancer on Wednesday. "Erin" came to the CBI in 2000 and retired in May of 2007. Erin, a black Labrador and CBI Agent Jerry Means responded to more than 800 calls... more »

• 3rd Colo. Springs playground set on fire; could be related?

  April 12, 2010 7:35 PM

  A playground at Adams Park in Colorado Springs was set on fire today. The park is northeast of Union and Fountain boulevards. It is the third playground fire in just the last month. Last week, equipment at Houck Park was completely burned. That's located just west of North Academy, near... more »

• Man charged with setting fire at topless coffee shop

  April 6, 2010 12:25 PM

  Fire investigators in Maine say a man is being charged with setting a fire that destroyed the topless coffee shop where his girlfriend worked. Officials say an arrest warrant has been issued for 49-year-old Raymond Bellavance, of Augusta. The fire in June destroyed the Grand View Topless Coffee Shop... more »

• Fires in Michigan termed "premeditated"

  March 25, 2010 3:49 PM

  The mayor of Flint, Mich., says five fires on the same day the city began laying off a quarter of its firefighters is a "premeditated attack" on the community's safety. Battalion Chief Andy Graves says suspicious fires broke out Thursday morning at four vacant homes and an empty four-story apartment... more »

• Springs firefighters think kids started building fire

  January 10, 2010 6:28 PM

  A fire at 127 University Dr. in Colorado Springs appears to have been set by kids. Firefighters shared that information with a News First 5 crew on the scene. The backside of a 4-plex apartment caught fire. It looks like the kids set a mattress and other debris... more »

• Police looking for Walmart firestarter

  December 10, 2009 4:21 PM

  Police in Pueblo are looking for a boy who may be trying to start fires inside the southside Walmart. According to a release from Crimestoppers, it's happened at least twice. Police say the boy, and a woman they believe to be his mother, can be seen in surveillance video.... more »

• Evidence against man accused of arson

  November 19, 2009 10:46 PM

  We're learning more tonight about the case against a man accused of burning his house down. As we first told you on Wednesday night, Mark Rance is accused of setting fire to his Black Forest home back in July. It was a total loss. According to the arrest affidavit, El... more »

• Homeowner accused of burning down own house

  November 18, 2009 11:21 PM

  The man whose foreclosed home burned to the ground in Black Forest, over the summer, has now been arrested for the fire. The home on Wild Oak Drive went up in flames back in July and was a total loss. The owner, 48-year-old Mark Rance, could not be found... more »

• Santa Ana winds die down; California wildfire 85 percent contained

  September 26, 2009 8:34 AM

  A 27-square-mile Southern California wildfire is 85 percent contained. The Santa Ana winds that fanned it have faded away. The 17,500-acre blaze is burning between the cities of Moorpark and Fillmore in Ventura County. Firefighters hope to have it fully surrounded sometime Sunday. No homes have been lost. The fire... more »