By Jon Johnson
SAFFORD – Officers are investigating who attempted to light a city resident’s truck on fire early Sunday morning.
Police were dispatched to a residence in the 200 block of W. 16th Street at about 7:15 a.m. after the owners of a 2013 GMC pickup truck noticed something awry.
Upon investigation, an officer discovered a burn mark on the asphalt pavement around the truck’s rear driver’s side tire. The tire itself was flat and appeared to have been damaged by fire. The tire’s rim was also discolored and smoke residue was found in the bed above the tire.
The officer then noticed a brown paper towel soaked with some type of accelerant underneath the driver’s side front tire. The paper appeared to have been ignited but did not stay lit. The same type of accelerant was also discovered on the ground around both the front and rear tires.
One of the owners of the truck said she had been outside smoking at about 1 a.m. and did not notice any damage or disturbance. Both owners said they had no idea who would want to set their truck on fire.
Anyone with information on who may have perpetrated the crime is encouraged to call the Safford Police Department at 432-4100 or anonymously text a tip to Graham County’s Tip Line by texting grahamtip to 50911 and type the message.
