Deputies arrested two men early this morning on charges they set fire to a strip club in Clearwater where there had been kicked out hours earlier.
Lawrence Hubbard, 24, of St. Petersburg and Sean Zander, 27, with no listed address were arrested about 3:30 a.m. today on charges they set fire to the outside of the Bottoms Up Gentleman's Club on North 66th Street in Clearwater, the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office said.
Hubbard and Zander were involved in a disturbance at the club shortly before midnight Sunday and were told to leave, the sheriff's office said.
Hubbard tried to take a tip jar on his way and threatened to return with a gun, the sheriff's office said. He also was seen trying to get a jack handle from the trunk of his car.
Employees got the tip jar back and called the sheriff's office, but the Hubbard and Zander left before deputies arrived.
About 3:30 a.m., a deputy in the area heard a shot that turned out to have been fired by the business owner while the men were starting a fire on the outside of the club, the sheriff's office said.
Police dogs tracked and caught both men.
Firefighters put out the fire, and there were no injuries.
Zander was charged with first-degree arson. Hubbard was charged with first-degree arson, aggravated assault and petty theft.
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