Morrow man who said he set fire because people were after him held for arson

A 35-year-old Morrow man is charged with burglary and aggravated arson stemming from an apartment fire earlier this month in Waynesville.

Christopher C. Safarik also faces charges of grand theft auto, driving without a license and drug abuse following his arrest in connection with the fire in an apartment on High Street on Oct. 20, according to jail records.

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Safarik allegedly jumped from a rear window in the apartment, but told police he set the fire because “people were after him,” according to the incident report.

“He said it grew too fast for him to exit, so he jumped out of the window,” Officer Jeff Gilcher said in the report. “All of this was provided when I asked him what happened.”

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Safarik was arrested and held in the county jail for a preliminary hearing Tuesday in Warren County Court.

The apartment resident, who urged Judge Gary Loxley against Safarik being released, told police she didn’t know Safarik and was in Loveland at the time of the fire.

Safarik waived his right to a preliminary hearing, and the case was bound over for review by a grand jury. His bond remained at $350,000.

At the time of his arrest, Safarik was already wanted on two felony drug warrants and for failing to appear in court in Waynesville, according to the police report.

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