A man entered his rented room at the Midwest Motel in Saint Paul, left after about 30 seconds and minutes later smoke began pouring into the hallway, prompting a resident to grab a fire extinguisher and put out a fire, according to charges.
Dejaun Martenanus Garcia, who was 40 at the time of the alleged offense, of Minneapolis, faces a charge of first-degree arson for setting fire to a motel room while people were present.
According to the criminal complaint, officers responded to the Midwest Motel in Ramsey County on Monday, April 13, 2026, after a report of a fire. The motel manager told officers that a tenant had entered room 16 that morning, stayed for about half a minute and then left. Shortly after, the manager saw smoke coming from the room.
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Officers reviewed the rental agreement for room 16 and identified the tenant as Garcia. The agreement showed Garcia had rented the room from March 13 to April 13, 2026. The manager also told officers that 25 people were staying at the motel at the time of the fire.
When officers entered room 16, they found a bed in the middle of the room that appeared to have been set on fire. Burn marks covered the mattress, and loose feather-like material was scattered throughout the room and into the hallway. Officers noted a strong odor similar to burnt hair.
Surveillance video from the motel showed a male, believed by officers to be Garcia, wearing a large hooded sweatshirt and baggy athletic pants, entering room 16 at 7:10 a.m. and leaving less than a minute later. At 7:15 a.m., smoke began to fill the hallway. A resident noticed the smoke, knocked on the door and, after receiving no response, returned with a fire extinguisher and entered the room to put out the fire.
The video showed only Garcia entering and leaving the room during this period, aside from the resident who extinguished the fire.
The motel manager reported that the fire caused about $1,640 in damages, including repairs to the walls, outlets, furniture and painting. Officers attempted to contact Garcia using phone numbers from the rental agreement but were unable to reach him.
The charge of first-degree arson alleges that Garcia intentionally set fire to a building while knowing people were present.
The charge was filed Tuesday, September 29, in Ramsey County District Court.
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Jurisdictional Context
Ramsey County encompasses Saint Paul and is served by the Ramsey County Attorney’s Office. Felony cases are heard in the Second Judicial District at the Ramsey County Courthouse in downtown Saint Paul; Ramsey County Community Corrections operates the Ramsey County Correctional Facility in Maplewood.
