St. Cloud Man Arrested for Alleged Arson for the Second Time in 15 Days

(KNSI) — A St. Cloud man has been arrested for the second time in 15 days for an alleged arson.

According to court documents filed in Stearns County District Court, just after 3:00 p.m. on July 2nd, first responders were called to an apartment building on the 500 block of 8th Avenue South in St. Cloud for a fire in one of the units. A man who said he was staying with James John Arthur Lund said he arrived at the building to see smoke pouring out of a window in the unit where they lived. He went inside and opened the door. Smoke billowed out, and there were fire alarms going off. He told investigators he had spoken with Lund earlier that afternoon and said it appeared Lund was under the influence of a possible narcotic. Surveillance footage from the building showed Lund walking out of his apartment with an object in his hand and bending down in the doorway of another unit, but it wasn’t clear what he was doing. He went back to his apartment before leaving and heading for the stairwell.

Police say they found Lund near 5th Avenue and 4th Street South with a butane lighter/torch in his pocket. In a sworn statement, he told police he didn’t start any fires in his apartment, there were no electrical issues with it, and he was the last one to leave the unit, but he didn’t smell any smoke. He told investigators that people with drones could have set the blaze but couldn’t explain how that was possible.

Investigators and the Fire Marshal entered the unit and said they found an empty lighter refill can and a torch-type lighter inside. Accidental or natural causes were ruled out.

Lund was arrested and is facing new charges of felony first degree arson.

Lund was picked up June 17th for allegedly setting a woman’s car on fire while she was sitting at the Walgreens pharmacy drive-through window. He was charged with arson and drug possession in that case. Court records show Lund posted bail on July 1st, the day before the attempted apartment arson.

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