Miami man calls 911 after setting his own apartment on fire, police say

Woman says Charles Morrell set fire because she had called police earlier on him

(Miami-Dade Corrections & Rehabilitation/WPLG)

MIAMI – A Miami man was arrested Sunday on accusations that he set his own apartment unit on fire.

Charles Morrell, 46, faces charges of arson, criminal mischief and resisting an officer without violence.

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According to his arrest report, Morrell first called 911 and told the dispatcher that he was planning on setting his apartment at 408 NW 22nd St. on fire.

Police said he then called 911 again and said he burned down his home.

According to his arrest report, officers arrived at the scene to find smoke coming from a bedroom window.

Police said a woman who lives at the home told officers that Morrell locked himself in his bedroom and said he was going to burn down the apartment because she had called police earlier that night on him.

She then saw smoke coming from his room.

Police said the woman and another female who were inside the apartment at the time left when they saw the smoke.

Officers and firefighters ordered Morrell to come out of the apartment when they arrived, but he refused, authorities said.

Police said Morrell eventually opened his bedroom window and got out of the apartment.

But as officers attempted to detain him, Morrell tensed his arms and pulled away from the arresting officer, the arrest report stated.

Police said once he was in the backseat of the police car, Morrell began to spit in the vehicle, and ripped the roof panels, light bar and cables/wiring to the vehicle, damaging the A/C.

According to the report, Morrell told officers that he burned a book inside the apartment.

City of Miami police confirmed that they responded to his apartment earlier that night regarding a family dispute.

In that incident, police said Morrell also barricaded himself inside his bedroom, but after speaking with him through his window, officers left as no crime had been committed.


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