Man arrested for suspected arson

LITTLE ROCK, AR – Police arrested a man after a fire broke out at his grandfather’s house Sunday.

According to reports, officials from the Pulaski County Sheriff’s Office responded to a fire at a home located at 21005 South Hwy 365. When they arrived, police spoke with Jimmie Smith, who lives at the residence. According to Smith, around 2:30 to 2:45 p.m. that day, his live-in grandson Christopher Smith came home and went into his bedroom. Smith said Christopher stayed in his room about 10 minutes then began walking through the residence as if to leave again. Smith stopped Christopher to talk about an issue stemming from the night before. Smith told police that after the two talked, Christopher left.

Smith told police that about 10 minutes after he went back into his room, he began to smell smoke and discovered that a pile of clothes in Christopher’s bedroom was on fire. Smith put out the fire with pans of water then called the police. Damage to the residence was estimated at $1,000.

Police found Christopher at a friend’s residence where he was questioned about the incident. Christopher reportedly denied any involvement in the fire and told police that his girlfriend, 19-year-old Breanna Parker, was at his grandfather’s home earlier that day. Police spoke with Parker, who told police that she got into an argument with Christopher while at the residence, who threatened to burn the house down.

Christopher Smith was arrested, taken to the Pulaski County Regional Detention Center and charged with Arson.