Man accused of setting Dayton duplex on fire indicted on charges

DAYTON — A Dayton man who reportedly admitted to lighting a duplex on fire twice in a matter of hours is facing charges.

Kevin Carter Jr, 42, was indicted by a Montgomery County grand jury Tuesday on two felony counts of aggravated arson and a misdemeanor count of aggravated menacing, according to Montgomery County Common Pleas Court records.

Carter was arrested on July 15 after allegedly setting an abandoned, boarded-up duplex on fire in the 200 block of Xenia Avenue.

>> PREVIOUS COVERAGE: New video shows suspected arsonist setting Dayton duplex on fire

News Center 7 previously got ahold of a video that showed a man, later identified as Carter, in front of the duplex, working to light the content of a white trash bag on fire. Once he thinks it’s burning, he’s seen throwing it through a 3-foot gap between the protective plywood and the top window frame.

911 callers alerted the fire department, but they apparently spotted him only after he dragged a second trash bag over to the same window, set it on fire, and threw it in.

“It’s on fire now, so the guy that’s burning the house is in front of the house,” a 911 caller said.

The video also showed Dayton police and fire rolling up to the building a short time later. They stayed about 90 minutes, putting out the flames. 30 minutes later after they left, that same man was back and so were the flames.

>> Bengals announce new features at Paycor Stadium

“That’s the guy that started the fire across the street at like 3:00 today,” another 911 caller told dispatchers.

Carter allegedly threatened to burn down a neighbor’s house after he set the duplex on fire the second time, according to an affidavit and statement of facts previously filed in Dayton Municipal Court.

During an interview with police, Carter admitted to setting the fires, according to court records.

Carter remains booked in the Montgomery County Jail. He’s scheduled to appear in court next on July 27.

© 2023 Cox Media Group