Blackfoot man accused of setting apartment on fire and threating to stab victim after argument

IDAHO FALLS — A 31-year-old Blackfoot man has been charged after he allegedly set fire to an apartment and threatened to stab people after an argument.

Leo Duran was charged with felony aggravated assault with an enhancement for the use of a deadly weapon and in a separate case, felony arson.

If he is found guilty, he faces up to 30 years in prison, but the enhancement charge adds 15 years to the total sentence.

According to court documents, on Sept. 13, officers with the Blackfoot Police Department were dispatched to an apartment complex located at 1600 Camas Street after receiving a report of a fire in an apartment.

Officers worked to evacuate tenants from the apartment complex, and an officer began to ask who rented the apartment that was on fire.

A witness stated that it was Duran’s apartment and that he may still be inside. This information was sent to firefighters, but they were told they couldn’t go in until the fire was contained.

Another witness began to say she had seen Duran and that he was attempting to stab people. The officer spoke with this witness, who said a woman, the victim, had come to her with her child and asked her to watch her child due to Duran trying to stab her.

The witness told officers that the victim had told her that she and Duran had been fighting all day.

Discussing the allegations of the man trying to stab her, the victim told the officer it had occurred earlier in the night and that Duran had chased her with a knife and cornered her. She managed to get her child and leave the apartment.

The officer spoke with the victim and was informed that Duran had taken off soon after the apartment was on fire. She reported that she saw flames through the window of her bedroom and later saw Duran run past her, dripping in sweat.

She told the officer that Duran had been suicidal and had told her he was going to die by suicide by cops.

Firefighters managed to put out the fire and found a kitchen knife on the floor of the apartment.

The document states that Duran was found walking south on Interstate 15 and was taken into custody. Deputies found Duran with a pink kitchen knife on him.

An investigation report of the fire determined the origin of the fire was at the foot of the bed and that a person had used a butane torch to start the fire. When Duran was detained, the document states soot was found on his person and clothing.

Duran is scheduled to appear before Magistrate Judge James Howard Barrett Jr. for a preliminary hearing regarding the aggravated assault charge at 8:30 a.m. on Oct. 2. He is also scheduled to appear before Barrett for a preliminary hearing for the arson charge at 8:30 a.m. on Oct. 9.

Though Duran has been charged with these crimes, it does not necessarily mean he committed them. Everyone is presumed innocent until they are proven guilty.

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