A 25-year-old South Saint Paul man is charged with felony wildfire arson after he was found kneeling next to an active fire in Kaposia Park, according to a criminal complaint.
The fires were first reported around 11:20 p.m. on Saturday, May 2.
The suspect, Blake Joseph Schlosser, now faces one count of wildfire arson in Dakota County District Court.
According to the complaint, reserve officers observed small brush fires in the park. There were multiple fires over a stretch of about a block, including into a deeper wooded area. The reserve officers observed heavy smoke coming from an area and found a man kneeling next to an active fire.
The man fled into the woods after he saw the officers’ vehicle approaching. Officers yelled for him to stop but he did not.
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Additional officers arrived and set up a perimeter. Schlosser was found hiding in a ravine and was taken into custody. He appeared to be intoxicated and had a small torch lighter on his person.
In a Mirandized statement, Schlosser claimed he was with other people in the park and that another person claimed to have started a fire. He said the other people ran off into the woods at the same time as him. He claimed he ran because he was on probation and had been smoking “a joint.”
Schlosser is being held at the Dakota County Jail as of publication. If convicted of felony wildfire arson, he faces up to five years in prison and a fine of up to $10,000.
