JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A 25-year-old Jacksonville man is facing two arson charges after police said he lit multiple fires Saturday morning at car repair shop in Arlington.
Police said surveillance video showed Kyle Highsmith lurking near Edgar Auto Repair, waiting for an employee to leave, before he began tampering with some of the cars and flames could be seen coming from inside the cars.
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Police arrived after Jacksonville firefighters had put out the flames and found eight vehicles smoldering in the lot and damage to nearby Wally Motors, off Burt and Lillian roads.
“The tools, the stuff that's on the floor and the back of the garage (were damaged),” Wally Motors owner Wally Mohammad said. “The building has some damage in the corner, but (it’s) mostly the tools.”
Police said that as they were investigating the fires at the car repair shop, a commercial lawn tractor was found burning at the Arlington Park Cemetery.
An officer believing the arson suspect was headed north on foot spotted Highsmith and detained him.
He was positively identified by a witness and arrested, police said
“I don't know who's doing (it), or why they are targeting the cars, but I think they said that we were the third one they set on fire,” Mohammad said.
Investigators said they believe Highsmith may be responsible for setting fires at other businesses and vacant homes in the Arlington area in recent weeks.
There was no indication that anyone was injured.