A Warsaw man was arrested Monday after setting three trash cans on fire in July. Michael L. Flory, 42, of 109 N. Washington St., G, Warsaw, was charged with one count of felony arson and two counts of misdemeanor criminal mischief. According to an affidavit filed by the Kosciusko County Prosecutor’s Office, Warsaw Police Department officers responded to the first fire July 9 just after 4 p.m. at 735 East Center St., Warsaw. An officer spoke with a witness who said he saw someone with dark hair wearing a neon green shirt and a black backpack in the alley between Center and Market streets. The witness told the officer the subject stopped, then began walking away as the witness saw flames coming from a trash can. Warsaw-Wayne Fire Territory arrived and extinguished the fire. The same WPD officer responded to a garage fire around 7 p.m. the same day at 615 E. Market St, Warsaw. Warsaw-Wayne arrived and extinguished the flames and told officers the garage ignited after a trash can had been lit on fire. Another WPD officer responded to a third fire around 7:30 that night at 719 W. Market St., Warsaw. Again, Warsaw-Wayne extinguished the fire and the officer observed a trash can that had been burnt. While on the scene of the third incident, the officer observed a man matching the description of the suspect in the first fire exit a nearby garage at 729 W. Market St., then reenter. The officer spoke with the man, who identified himself as Michael Flory, who said he had been at a nearby East Center Street residence. It was later confirmed Flory was seen in the area of the first fire. The officer then responded to Flory’s residence to question him further and observed him sitting on the porch with a lighter beside him and a large pile of crumpled newspaper on the floor. The officer also observed burn marks on the porch boards and on the bushes in front of the residence. Flory admitted to the officer he set the first trash can fire and also admitted he threw a lit cigarette into the third trash can and it may have lit the trash can on fire. Flory also agreed he would pay for damages, totaling nearly $4,000. Flory was arrested Monday and held on a $1,750 bond.
