Church fire ends in man's arrest PDF | Print | E-mail

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Daily Herald
A Provo man with a lengthy criminal history was arrested Wednesday for starting a fire in an LDS church building.

Gene Alan Perkins, 55, was arrested after a neighbor saw a man fitting his description and carrying something that was on fire cross the street to the church building at 51 S. 900 East in Provo at about 7:30 a.m. Provo Police Lt. Jerry Harper said the suspect then broke out the front door of the church, spread some accelerant on the floor and dropped the burning rag.

The witness called emergency officials and the fire was extinguished quickly; Harper said the building had between $8,000 and $9,000 in damage.

Perkins was booked into the Utah County Jail on charges of burglary, interfering with arrest and aggravated arson. Harper said there is no indication at this point that he was under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

Perkins has a substantial arrest record in Utah County dating back to 1992.