CASPER — A 46-year-old Casper man charged with starting three fires around the city since May — and suspected in others — allegedly told police he turns to arson when he gets mad at his landlord over having to pay rent.
Dallas Ray Smith appeared Tuesday in Casper Circuit Court on two counts of fourth-degree arson stemming from two fires he’s accused of starting Friday, one in an alley in the 700 block of East C Street and another by train tracks near Burlington Avenue and North McKinley Street.
He also faces another charge of first-degree arson, a felony, stemming from a fire in a two-story structure behind a motel in the 1600 block of East Yellowstone Highway on May 19.
Casper Police officers arrested Smith after an interview about the Friday fires.
Other Fires?
A police affidavit shows that officers were called to the East C Street alley about 9 p.m. by a resident who found trash and weeds burning in the alley that were clearly intentionally set,
Court records show that as they were at that fire, another “big fire” was reported at 9:12 p.m. at the Burlington Avenue and North McKinley location near the tunnels used by trains. The resident who reported it had her door open and started to smell smoke from the area.
The affidavit states the second fire was behind a chain-link fence between the fence and the train tracks and was in a 25-foot-by-10-foot rectangle shape.
“Officers were aware that Dallas Smith was a person of interest in previous fires throughout the summer, and went to the area of his residence,” the affidavit states.
The police department reported there may be an arsonist in the city after five fires broke out in a 12-hour period July 2.
Officers found Smith walking to his residence Friday and brought him to the police department for questioning.
Smith initially told officers he knew he was suspected of setting fires earlier in the year, but denied involvement, the affidavit states.
But as the questioning continued, Smith admitted to investigators that “when he has to pay his rent, he gets upset and angry because his landlord talk(s) down to him and insulted him.”
“This made Smith see red, and he ultimately would start fires,” the affidavit states. “Smith did not know how to deal with his emotions around the time he had to go … pay the property manager rent, and wanted counseling for his problem, but didn’t know where to look.”
‘Relief’ To Emotions
The affidavit states that Smith told investigators he typically gathers leaves together and lights them on fire. The fire would “scare him” but also “provided some relief to the emotions” he was dealing with.
Smith allegedly told investigators he typically uses dry leaves and a cigarette to start fires.
“Dry leaves do a lot,” he told police.
Smith admitted to starting the two fires on Friday, the affidavit states.
He used cardboard lit by a cigarette to start the fire on C Street and then put it with other trash and dry vegetation in the alley.
For the railway area, the affidavit states he told police he used dry leaves and other vegetation to start the fire.
Investigators then asked Smith about fires earlier this year in the Casper area, in particular a two-story building behind the Red and White Cafe/Motel in the 1600 block of East Yellowstone that happened May 19.
Casper Fire and EMS units were dispatched to the structure at 6:20 p.m. and found smoke coming from the building.
The affidavit states that fire was found inside the boarded-up structure and that utilities for the building had been disconnected, but there was evidence of squatters using it.
“The fire appeared to have started near the floor on the first floor near some personal belonging and at the base of a bed frame,” the affidavit states. Food and water were also found near where the fire started.
The roof of the structure was missing in some places and “both the top and bottom floors were trashed and severely run down,” the affidavit states.
A fire investigator could not determine the exact cause of the fire. Soaking rains in previous days that made the interior of the building wet kept the fire in the structure from taking off, the affidavit states.
Fire Hazards
Smith told investigators that the management of the motel had discussed how the building was a fire hazard.
He said he was out by the building one day smoking with another man, and after the man left, he “set fire to a piece of insulation in the building using a lighter.”
Smith said he was by himself and no one else had knowledge or involvement with his decision to start the fire.
“Smith said he felt and was sorry,” the affidavit states. “Smith did not want to hurt any people or animals with the fires he started. Smith again stated he wanted help and needed counseling.”
The building also had been referenced by an anonymous male caller at 3:30 p.m. on May 16 to the Casper Fire Department. The caller stated properties located at the East Yellowstone site were fire hazards.
“The male caller stated there were many electrical issues with the properties” and that the motel had “grease buildup on the stoves and the garage out back had chemicals and fire hazards in it,” the affidavit states.
The fire investigator who listened to the call and then spoke with Smith believes that the anonymous caller about the properties was Smith, the affidavit states.
“Additional charges of arson for other fires started mostly during July and August will most like be charged as all of the information is compiles,” the affidavit states.
Casper Police Detective Leonard Jacobs said any arson crime puts lives at risk and endangers the community.
“These reckless crimes will not be tolerated,” he said. “We will continue our investigation and bring those responsible to justice.”
The first-degree arson charge carries a potential penalty of 20 years in prison and a $20,000 fine. The fourth-degree arson charges are punishable by up to a year in jail and a $750 fine.
Smith’s bond was set at $20,000 cash or surety.
Dale Killingbeck can be reached at dale@cowboystatedaily.com.
