Columbia man arrested for setting fire

Columbia police arrested a man Tuesday night on suspicion of setting items belonging to an ex-girlfriend on fire. Officers and firefighters responded to calls for an arson investigation in the 1400 block of Raleigh Drive shortly before 11 p.m.

There they found clothing on the stove, and all burners of the stove set on “high.” Only the clothing had burned; the fire was out before it could damage the structure. In addition to the fire, officers reported smelling an accelerant of some kind.

The woman who lives in the apartment wasn’t home at the time. She told officers she and Michael Midgyett had been in a relationship. When she got a text message from Midgyett stating he was coming over, she left and didn’t return home until after the fire. At that point she reported several missing items, all associated with Midgyett, who was later arrested for arson and burglary.