Man Lights Scooter On Fire, Goes To Jail: Deputies

ST. PETE BEACH, FL — A 35-year-old St. Pete Beach man’s alleged Wednesday night wreck on his scooter sparked a series of events that would ultimately lead to his arrest on arson charges.

According to the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office, deputies were called out to the 8600 block of Blind Pass road around 11:40 p.m. Aug. 9. When they arrived, they found a 2016 Taizhou scooter on fire. Deputies provided traffic control while firefighters put out the blaze.

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“Deputies say while on scene they were approached by the owner of the scooter, 35-year-old Chance Richie, who appeared intoxicated,” an email from the agency said. “Richie told deputies he had crashed his scooter.” He didn’t say just where that crash occurred.

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Richie did, however, tell deputies “he got mad at his scooter and lit it on fire,” the email added. The blaze also happened to do some minor damage to vehicles parked on either side of Richie’s ride, the agency noted.

Richie was subsequently charged with two counts of arson and violation of probation related to a possession of cocaine arrest. He was being held in the Pinellas County Jail on Thursday without bond due to the violation of probation charge, jail records indicate. Bond for the arson charges was set at $20,000.

Photos courtesy of the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office