A Columbus man faces two counts of attempted murder for allegedly setting fire to a house with two people inside.
William Mendoza, 45, was arrested Saturday on a traffic stop and later admitted to setting the fire, A Lowndes County Sheriff’s Office press release said.
Deputies responded at about 2:17 a.m. Saturday to a call about a disturbance at a residence on Highway 373. They met down the road from the home with the complainant, who told them a man was threatening to burn down the home and kill its occupants. The disturbance had been ongoing for several days, during which the suspect also reportedly fired a gun in the air, according to the complainant.
During that discussion, a passerby told deputies the house in question was engulfed in flames. When deputies arrived at the residence, they found its two occupants had escaped the burning home with no injuries.
The victims gave deputies a description of the suspect, whom they only knew as “Paco.” They said he had fired a gun outside the house and told them they better open the door. When they refused, “Paco” threatened to burn down the house and kill them. After setting the fire, the suspect left the scene in a white pickup.
Several hours later, a deputy spotted a man meeting the suspect’s description driving a white Ford F-150. When the deputy got behind the vehicle, the man sped up and ran a red light, which led to the traffic stop.
Mendoza, already a convicted felon, was arrested for running a red light, as well as having no driver’s license or insurance. He also was carrying a concealed handgun and methamphetamine, leading to additional charges.
During a subsequent interview with detectives, he admitted to setting the fire, according to the press release, leading to the attempted murder counts.
Mendoza is being held in Lowndes County Adult Detention Center. His bond is set at $100,000.
Zack Plair is the managing editor for The Dispatch.
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