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Judge may decide to extradite person of interest in central Fla. arson fires

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — A person of interest in a string of house fires is due in court Monday.

A judge will decide whether or not to extradite Steven Angle to Georgia, where he has an outstanding warrant against him.

On Sunday, Angle faced a judge for the first time since his arrest in Daytona Beach on Saturday. Angle was denied bond.

Angle was labeled as a person of interest earlier this week in several suspicious fires in Orlando, Sanford, Daytona Beach and Ormond Beach.

Since April, there have been 30 arsons in those cities.

Angle’s mother, Shirley Scott, was in court during the first appearance.

“He might be capable of a lot of things, but not fires,” she said. “I know my son and he is not an arsonist. He's a good kid. He just, sometimes, people aggravate him."

Angle was spotted riding a bike on A1A about 12 p.m. Saturday and fled as soon as officers approached him.

Police said Angle ran into the Maui Nix Surf Shop on North Atlantic Avenue and made his way to the second floor of the store, where he threatened to jump.

An officer’s body camera video showed Angle standing on the second floor.

Officers were able to talk Angle into surrendering and placed him in cuffs as soon as they talked him down.

“He was going to dive and break his neck,” said Chief Michael Chitwood. “It’s good that he’s off the street.”

The manager of the store said Angle went inside to buy a shirt and hat, and the next thing he knew officers evacuated the surf shop.

“Lot of cops everywhere, guns drawn and it was in their hands after that,” said Cory Christensen. “I saw him on the railing up there and it looked like he wanted to jump.”

Angle had been on the run since Sanford police called him a person of interest in 11 vacant home fires.

Police had been tracking Angle in the area after several reported sightings.

On Friday, a couple recognized Angle at a Sunoco gas station on Glenview Boulevard after seeing him on Channel 9 and called police.

An arrest warrant was issued for Angle earlier this week for violation of parole stemming from an old burglary case in Georgia.

With Angle’s apprehension, officials and residents hope the fires will stop.

“Pretty ugly scene over there with all the trees and the condition of what’s left of the house,” said Sanford resident Gerald Kees.

Across the street from Gerald Kees’ home sits one of the 11 abandoned homes that was burned down in Seminole County.

His wife, Lucy Kees, is worried for the safety of her neighbors.

“Some people still have abandoned houses that they live right beside and they're very concerned about it because they're wondering if that's going to be next,” she said.

The State Fire Marshal’s Office said it still isn’t ready to make a definitive link between the fires or connect them to Angle.

Angle's brother, Curtis Smith, was arrested for a mobile home fire in Sanford. He was charged with attempted murder and first-degree arson.

Authorities are still asking that anyone with information about the fires call law enforcement.

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