The suspect arrested for allegedly starting a large brush fire near North Bonanza and North Houghton roads last week, admitted to starting the fire, according to an interim complaint filed by Tucson Police.
He told investigators that once it started, it quickly got out of control.
Tucson Fire crews showed up to fight the fire between 4 and 5 p.m.
At 6 p.m., a call for service was received about a man, later identified as Stone, with a torch trying to start a fire near Speedway and Houghton, southeast of the brushh fire, the complaint said.
Officers located Stone. He had moved at that point to the west side of the road and was stopped near the Dollar Tree at 10315 E. Broadway.
Officers from the initial scene confirmed that Stone was the same guy spotted earlier near the fire.
The complainant confirmed that Stone was the man spotted with the torch.
Stone told investigators that he was "playing" in the wash for hours leading up to the fire, which meant, in part, flicking a lighter on and off and lighting stuff on fire.
Once the fire got large, Stone said he began to watch firetrucks drive by to work on the fire, the complaint said.
