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2 Teens Arrested After 14 Car Fires, House Blaze

By NEIL JOHNSON

njohnson@tampatrib.com

Published: February 2, 2009

St. Petersburg police arrested two 16-year-old boys Sunday, accusing them of setting fire to 14 cars and a house over a two-hour span.

Mathew Kiernan and Francis Huy Du, both of St. Petersburg, each face four felony counts of arson. Police may file additional charges as the investigation continues.

The two bought bottles of IBC Root Beer and Orange Crush - they were on sale - and filled them with gasoline to make Molotov cocktails, which they used to start the fires, police said. Most of the fires were east of Interstate 275.
Yvonne Smith heard one of the bombs go off. It was the back end of her 2005 Chrysler convertible being hit by a gasoline-filled bottle.

"My German shepherd was going nuts," she said. "Then I heard an explosion. I peeked out my front window and saw a flickering light and a lot of smoke."

Someone had slit open the top of her car, poured gasoline inside and tried to ignite it with another Molotov cocktail, Smith said. She found one unexploded device on her lawn.

While she was outside talking with police, a tow truck passed with another burned convertible, she said.

Police said the fires appear to have been randomly set.

The first car fire was reported at 4:26 a.m., the last at 5:59 a.m., according to the St. Petersburg Police Department.

The final call was at 6:22 a.m.: a house burning at 2845 14th St. N.

Witnesses reported seeing a dark sedan leaving one scene, police said.

Investigators are looking into other arsons for a connection.

Reporter Neil Johnson can be reached at (813) 259-7731.

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