Taylorsville man sentenced to a year in jail for apartment arson

SALT LAKE CITY — A Taylorsville man was sentenced Friday to one year in jail and four years of probation for setting his apartment building on fire in January.

Rodney Davis, 20, pleaded guilty in May to aggravated arson, a second-degree felony.

Third District Judge Patrick Corum sentenced Davis to a term of between one and 15 years, but it was suspended in favor of one year in jail. He will receive credit for 182 days already served, meaning he will spend 183 more days in the Salt Lake County Jail. He also received 48 months of probation.

On Jan. 6, Unified firefighters were called to the scene of an apartment fire at Bridgeside Landing Apartments, 4513 S. Bay Bridge Road in Taylorsville. The fire was isolated to a single apartment in the building where Davis lived but he was not at the scene.

Officers said most of the fire damage was isolated to the apartment's living room, but with significant smoke and thermal damage throughout. The odor of an "ignitable liquid" was detected, but no obvious ignition sources were found, even with the use of an arson dog, a police booking affidavit states.

Davis had recently and "abruptly" quit his job and had removed all money from his bank account, according to police who also said they found a possible suicide note on the floor of the apartment. Troopers later found him in northern Utah on his way to California.

"Davis was interviewed at the Taylorsville precinct where he confessed to intentionally setting the apartment on fire by pouring gasoline throughout the unit before igniting it with a handheld torch," the affidavit states. "Davis stated that he then fled the area with the goal of getting to California at which time he would commit suicide by driving his vehicle off a cliff."

As part of the sentencing, Corum ordered that Davis be subject to evaluations for anger management, substance abuse and counseling needs. He will also be required to complete treatment programs recommended by the probation agency.

Correction: An earlier version incorrectly said Davis lives with his mother but she lives in the same apartment complex.

Related topics