38 years old, arrested for allegedly starting several fires in St. Paule

A man is in jail after allegedly starting several fires in St. Paul.

Court documents show Vinai Hang, 38, faces up to 11 years in prison for second-degree arson and fourth-degree assault on a peace officer.

The charges stem from an incident around 8:50 p.m. Tuesday when a 2009 Honda Civic was seen on fire near 7th Street and Payne Avenue by a St. Louis police sergeant. Paul.

Hang, already suspected of setting fire to an $800 portable bathroom hours earlier, recently made two 911 calls on Tuesday, the most recent being made near 7th Street and Parne Avenue at 8:33 p.m.

Because of this, officers began searching for Hang and later found him lying on the ground in front of the front door of the Department of Human Services building in St. Paul.

Court documents state officers observed an oven cleaner spray as well as a lighter attached to Hang. When they approached him, officers said Hang took the spray, which they tried to take from Hang but were unsuccessful.

Hang reportedly kicked the officer who tried to take the box and doused him with the detergent. Officers used pepper spray on Hang and ordered him to drop the box, which Hang allegedly refused to do.

It was only after the officers put on gas masks that Hang dropped the box and was arrested.

Officers said Hang had a number of items around him when they found him, including several clothes, five lighters, an empty gas can, two flashlights, a cell phone and the aforementioned oven cleaning spray .