When police arrived, the fire division was clearing the building of smoke.
“The fire division advised that the fire was to the door and flooring around the door only,” the report says. “They advised no one reported being injured at this time.”
Officers spoke to the victim who said he was at a different apartment playing poker with the suspect, the report says.
“He advised there was a discrepancy over a couple dollars for the game. He said they got into a small physical altercation and then he left,” the report says.
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The victim said a few minutes later, the suspect came to his apartment door and started banging on it, demanding he open it.
“He said he refused, and the suspect advised that if he came out the door something bad would happen,” the report says. “(The victim) advised just a few minutes later he noticed his door to his apartment was on fire. He said he put the fire out with water and called the fire department.”
Officers later spoke with the suspect about the incident.
“He advised that he didn’t have anything to do with this incident and denied even leaving his apartment,” the report says.
No witness or other suspect information was available.
A day later, officers were dispatched around 1 a.m. on Sunday to the 200 block of East Third Street in reference to a vehicle on fire, according to a second Springfield police report.
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When police arrived, they spoke with a witness who said he heard a loud pop and saw that the trees were “lit up.”
“(The witness) stated he went to investigate the disturbance and saw two males running east on East Third Street from the car that was on fire,” the report says. “(The witness) stated that one was a young male “with puffy hair” and the other was a young male with “shorter hair.”
The witness told police the two men got into an early 2010 Ford Fusion that was dark gray, had a silver rear bumper and had damage to the front driver side door, the report says.
Officers then spoke with the victim who said that she did not see or hear anything regarding the fire set to her 2011 Ford Edge.
No other suspect or witness information was available.
Springfield Police and Fire Divisions continue their investigations into these arson incidents.
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