From Deseret News archives:
Arrest made in church fire
Provo man told news crew he was angry at one of LDS leaders
The 55-year-old man was arrested and booked into the Utah County Jail for investigation of aggravated arson after witnesses directed police to him.
One witness told police he watched a man smash the glass in the door of the building owned by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at 51 S. 900 East, Provo.
According to police, the man then ran across the street to the Georgian Apartments, ran back over to the meetinghouse with a burning rag and poured gasoline on a sofa in the front foyer.
Instead of lighting the sofa, police said, he dropped the burning rag just inside the door.
Provo Police Lt. Jerry Harper said most of the damage is the glass door and fuel-soaked sofa. The fire charred a small portion of carpet. Repairing the building is expected to cost between $8,000 and $9,000, officials said.
"Could have been much much worse," Harper said.
After police took him into custody, witnesses say he shouted to a TV news crew that was on the scene that he targeted the church building because he was upset with one of his ecclesiastical leaders.
Tami Valgardson, the property manager at Georgian Apartments, said the man has lived there for at least 10 years.
"We've never had any problems (with him); he's a very good tenant, very nice, nice man," Valgardson said.
On Tuesday night, Valgardson said, the man visited her and was visibly upset although he did not mention why.
Wednesday's incident was the second suspected arson this week in Provo.
A man was arrested Monday in a fire at Shadowood Apartments in Provo. The fire destroyed nine units and caused more than $300,000 damage.
The fire was apparently set in his second-floor unit around 4:30 p.m. Sunday.
The most recent Provo church arson case was in May 2005.
"We don't get things like this very often," Harper said.
E-mail: jelder@desnews.com
