SAN ANTONIO – San Antonio police have arrested a man who they say tried to set fire to his Northeast Side apartment on multiple occasions.
Roger Ray Roel, 38, has been charged with arson-habitat/place of assembly, a first-degree felony, records with the Bexar County Jail show.
An arrest warrant affidavit states that at 4:50 a.m. on Nov 10, a neighbor heard a commotion outside and saw Roel starting a fire at the door frame of his apartment. Roel allegedly walked away and repeated the offense again, setting fire to two other areas of the door frame.
The flames self-extinguished and did not spread to the structure.
The neighbor captured a video on a security camera and called the police. When officers showed up, they did not find the suspect and did not speak with the neighbor, the affidavit states.
The neighbor called the police the following day and showed officers footage from her security camera.
Officers then contacted Roel, who said he ignited the fire for “incense” and for “religious reasons,” the affidavit states.
Investigators said “the fire was not to incense” as the door was burned three times.
On two other occasions on Nov. 13, video footage showed Roel attempting to set fire to his apartment, the affidavit states.
An apartment manager inspected the unit on Nov. 15 and found fire damage to the carpet, flooring and stove.
Records show he was arrested on Monday. His bond is $75,000.
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