SALT LAKE CITY (AP) - A felony charge has been filed against a 53-year-old man who's admitted to starting six brush fires near a Salt Lake City park, apparently so he'd be sent back to jail.
Court documents show a felony arson charged was filed Wednesday against Wilbert Fike Jr. in connection with a July 5 fire in Memory Grove Park.
Fike told authorities he set a grass fire by putting a lighter to a page of the City Weekly newspaper, and made an unsuccessful attempt to start another fire later that day.
The Salt Lake Tribune reports that previous fires Fike claimed credit for have only caused enough damage to earn him misdemeanor charges and year-long stints in jail.
The most recent fire rises to felony level because it caused more than $1,500 damage.
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