LAUDERHILL, Fla. – A man was arrested Wednesday after being accused of lighting his mother’s patio on fire while she was present at her Lauderhill home, authorities said.
According to an arrest report, 25-year-old Jayvontay John is facing a felony charge of first-degree arson and burglary of an occupied dwelling causing damage over $1,000.
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Lauderhill police said they responded to a home near the 4500 block of North University Drive after receiving a call of a disturbance from a woman that lived at the home.
Authorities said John entered his mother’s home through a screened in patio without permission.
The mother told police that her son (John) had not lived with her for six years and was not welcome home.
Detectives said once John entered the patio, he started throwing several items at the rear sliding glass door of the home, causing it to shatter.
According to his arrest report, after several attempts to shatter the sliding glass door, John then picked up a small red gasoline canister from the backyard.
Police said John re-entered the patio with a canister in hand and poured gasoline on “several items” that included a mountain bike, a plastic Christmas tree stand and a men’s shoe.
Investigators said John then got a lighter, ignited the doused items, and fled before police arrived.
The mother told police that there was a big burst of flames, but it was contained to the individual objects.
Detectives said at the time of the fire, the mother told authorities that she and her older son were at the home.
“Inside the home, there were several large flammable oxygen tanks required for an occupant’s medical condition,” the arrest report stated.
The mother told detectives that once John started the fire, all the people at the home feared that it would cause the oxygen tanks to explode.
Investigators said one of the occupants at the home recorded John dousing the patio in gasoline and gave the video to detectives.
Police said the repair cost for the hurricane-impact sliding glass door was estimated at more than $1,000.
Authorities said John was taken into custody and refused to speak to police.