FARMINGTON -- A Farmington man upset because he claims a clinic denied him dental care said he started a fire at the office to "make a point," according to a Farmington police report.
Jimmy D. Morell, 36, of Farmington, was arrested Sept. 10 in connection with commercial burglary and arson in connection with a break-in at River Dental Farmington and trying to set the building on fire, according to a preliminary arrest report from Farmington Police Department.
The report said Farmington officers responded about 11:20 p.m. Sept. 9 to assist with a structure fire at the dental office, 19 W. Main St., in Farmington, and discovered signs of forced entry into the building.
Evidence of arson and forced entry were collected at the scene, along with a paper towel with a "very distinct pattern on it" near the back door, the report said.
The report estimates that damages to the building will exceed $100,000, and includes damage to several dental chairs estimated at $10,000 each, along with other expensive equipment in the clinic.
The building also had heavy smoke damage and will require extensive work and renovating, according to the report.
The report said a counselor concerned about a client contacted Farmington police the next day, Sept. 10. She gave the client's address and asked that police officers make contact with the woman.
The client told police that her roommate, Morell, said he was the one who set fire to the dental office the previous night.
She said Morell was upset because he had suffered from a bad smile throughout his childhood and was often teased and bullied about it. She said his condition later was determined to be amelogenesis imperfecta, a rare genetic condition in which the outer layer of enamel fails to develop properly.
Morell was at home while officers interviewed the woman. The report said Morell was detained and taken to Washington County Sheriff's Office for further questioning.
While at the house, Detective Justin Collins said he saw a paper towel roll on the countertop that matched the towels found on the scene at the dentist office, according to the report.
During the interview at the sheriff's office, Morell told police he received a letter in the mail in January that said he qualified for free dental work. Morell said he went to River Dental in Farmington but was denied care because the office said it was a health concern and referred him to a medical doctor.
Morel said he was upset the clinic refused to treat him and "he wanted to make a point," the report said. "Morell wanted to make sure other people with similar concerns were able to receive oral care at the dentist and no one else was treated like he was," the report said.
Morell confessed that he went to the dental office around 8 p.m. Sept. 9, threw a cinder block through the window and went inside, according to the report. Morell said he covered the place in lighter fluid and also used a sledgehammer to try and bust open the back door where the paper towel was found. He had a pillowcase mask and set it on fire and threw it through the busted window in the building, the report said.
According to the report, the fire started and Morell said he fled the scene. He told police he later returned and saw smoke coming out of the eaves of the building.
During the interview, Morell also confessed to an arson at Westwood Gardens in March 2017. He said he was upset at the business because it refused to hire him. Morell wrote two separate letters to the owners of both businesses, apologizing for the fires.
After the interview, Morell was placed in handcuffs and escorted to Washington County Detention Center and booked into the jail on a $5,000 bond. He is scheduled to appear in Washington County Circuit Court on Oct. 7.
According to the report, Morell was convicted of residential burglary in West Fork in 2001 and possession of child pornography in Texas in 2005.
General News on 09/18/2019