By: NICOLAS FIERRO
Salina Post
Salina Police arrested the male suspect who caused another fire at First Bank Kansas, after starting one a day prior to his arrest.
According to the Salina Police Department on Thursday, June 5th at around 11:00 pm, a witness of Salina was driving past First Bank Kansas on 1333 W. Crawford where the crime initially took place on June, 4th. The individual noticed the side of the bank was on fire and drove closer to where the fire was taking place. Furthermore, the individual noticed an SUV leaving area.
Police state that the witness stopped the fire by stomping out a piece of plywood, which was set by the suspect to start the fire. Officers then received report and during the investigation, bank employees had given a name of a possible suspect who was reportedly angry with the bank.
Officers then arrived to the suspect's house on 1600 W. Republic Ave. and located the SUV that matched the description of the witness report. Officers discovered the suspect was in the home as well and arrested 43-year old, Mathew Phouthavong.
Phouthavong was booked into the Saline County Jail on 2 counts of Arson.