Man accused of lighting woman’s car on fire in Minneapolis Wednesday morning

Minneapolis police arrested a man who witnesses say lit a vehicle on fire Wednesday morning.

A criminal complaint names 22-year-old Kingston Sebastian Gaulden Jr. as a suspect facing second-degree arson charges.

Minneapolis firefighters said their crews received reports of an unknown male starting a car on fire in the 1000 block of Spring Street Northeast at about 8 a.m. Wednesday.

The fire was extinguished, but the vehicle was considered a total loss in excess of $15,000, according to the criminal complaint.

Video shot by a witness shows a white Kia hatchback engulfed in flames while parked in the middle of the street.

Minneapolis police officers found the burning Kia and then identified Gaulden as the suspect after speaking to witnesses.

Police say witnesses reported seeing Gaulden park the Kia in the middle of the road, exit the vehicle and throw an object that was on fire inside. The Kia then became engulfed in flames immediately afterward, and Gaulden was seen walking away.

Officers then located Gaulden nearby and arrested him.

The owner of the Kia was identified as a woman who was a “possible ex-partner” of Gaulden, according to the criminal complaint.

A fire investigator determined the cause of the fire was intentional after detecting combustible gas on the interior of the vehicle.

Gaulden is currently in custody at the Hennepin County Jail.

His first court appearance is set for Friday.