Surprise: Man Arrested After Allegedly Setting Ex-Girlfriend's Home on Fire While She Was Inside
Marcus Whitfield
A terrifying escape from flames
A Surprise woman told police she had to flee through smoke and flames as her ex-boyfriend allegedly set her home on fire early Thursday morning. All residents escaped without injury, but Carman Lee Caldwell, 56, faces more than a dozen charges including attempted first-degree murder.
The fire at Grand Avenue and Greenway Road
Officers responded to a fire call around 3 a.m. at a home near Grand Avenue and Greenway Road in Surprise. The caller reportedly told dispatchers that her ex-boyfriend was on the property and was actively setting fire to the residence and vehicles, according to the Surprise Police Department.
"The caller had reported that her ex-boyfriend, later identified as 56-year-old Carman Lee Caldwell, was at the home and was 'allegedly setting the residence and vehicles on fire,' according to authorities."
Caldwell was at the scene when officers arrived and was taken into custody without incident, police said.
Charges filed
According to the Surprise Police Department and KTAR, Caldwell was booked into jail on multiple charges, including:
- Attempted first-degree murder
- Arson
- Burglary
- Endangerment
- Criminal damage
- Misconduct involving weapons
Investigation underway
Surprise Fire-Medical Department Arson Investigators and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) are investigating the incident, according to ABC15.
The woman told police she had to escape through a burning front porch, her car, and the yard outside, according to a police report filed in court records obtained by USA Today.
No injuries reported
All residents at the home were safely evacuated, and fire personnel put out the blaze before it spread, authorities said. No injuries were reported in the incident.