Suspected Utah arsonist had spear, knives tied to his hands

Cedar City police arrested a reportedly suicidal man after he barricaded himself inside his house, allegedly set it on fire and jumped out with a spear and knives taped to his hands.

On Saturday evening, the 36-year-old man allegedly assaulted a family member and threatened to kill his family and any officers who came to the home. When police arrived outside the house, he barricaded himself inside, according to a Cedar City police news release.

The police tried to negotiate with the man to surrender peacefully, but the man allegedly broke some of the windows and smoke began to billow out from inside, according to the release.

"It was evident that a fire had been started inside the home. [He] then exited through a bedroom window," the release reads. "He was carrying a 'spear' type weapon and he had knives tied to his hands."

Once outside, the man took an "aggressive stance" and began taunting officers, the release adds. Eventually, he complied with officers and was taken safely into custody.

After firefighters extinguished the fire, investigators found accelerants and other evidence to support the suspicion that the man had started the fire, according to the release.

He was booked into an Iron County jail under suspicion of aggravated arson, domestic violence in the presence of a child, threat of violence, possession of explosive materials and possession of a dangerous weapon by a restricted person.

mmcfall@sltrib.com

Twitter: @mikeypanda