Crime & Safety
Land O' Lakes Man Accused Of Attempted Murder, Arson
A 30-year-old Land O' Lakes man has been arrested after being accused of lighting a fire beneath a mobile home.
LAND O' LAKES, FL — A 30-year-old Land O' Lakes man has been arrested after being accused of lighting a fire beneath a mobile home.
According to the Pasco County Sheriff's Office, Benjamin Kirk of Land O' Lakes Boulevard has been charged with attempted murder, arson and burglary with simple battery.
On Sept. 23, the sheriff's office and Pasco Fire Rescue responded to a mobile home fire on Horton Road in Land O' Lakes. While there, the resident said she thought Kirk was responsible for the fire because they had gotten into a fight earlier that night. At that time, Kirk came into the mobile home and began battering a man inside the trailer.
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About an hour and a half after the couple had gone to bed, they woke to the smell of lighter fluid and saw smoke coming from a vent. They went outside and saw Kirk running away.
The Bureau of Fire and Arson Investigations confirmed that an accelerant was used to start the fire.
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Kirk is being held without bond.
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