Monday morning, Pittsburg State University student and Phi Sigma Kappa President, Oscar Crespo, a junior double majoring in criminal justice and psychology, woke up to a nightmare: His car fully engulfed in flames outside his home.
At 5:50 a.m. on Nov. 3, an officer with the Pittsburg Police Department found a 2006 Chrysler 300 on fire at a residence in the 1700 block of South Broadway Street. The officer attempted to extinguish the flames with a fire extinguisher before the Pittsburg Fire Department arrived at the scene.
Crespo said he had been fast asleep inside the home, unaware that his vehicle was outside burning.
“At around 6 a.m. I was sleeping, and I heard the doorbell ringing, but I decided to ignore it, I was having a great dream,” Crespo said. “Eventually, my roommate bursts through my door and tells me the cops are outside. I step out, and they ask which car is mine, the blue Chrysler or the gray one. I told them the gray one, and they said, ‘Your car’s on fire.’ Sure enough, it was.”
Crespo said his initial reaction was shock.
“No one expects to see their car on fire on a random Monday morning,” Crespo said. “It definitely shook the grogginess off real fast.”
According to the statement released by the PPD, the vehicle fire was later connected to other burglaries and thefts that occurred that same morning. Around 10 a.m., officers were dispatched to a residence in the 100 block of West Politzer Street after receiving a call about a burglary in progress.
PPD said when they arrived, they found 54-year-old James Paul Jones inside the residence. Jones was taken into custody and was allegedly found to be in possession of stolen property from several other victims.
Further investigation connected Jones to several other vehicle burglaries, including Crespo’s Chrysler 300. Officers later discovered a 2012 Mazda 3 near the area, containing additional stolen property from two other vehicles and an additional residence. The Mazda had been reported as being stolen earlier that morning by the Pittsburg State University Campus Police.
Crespo stated that police had found a full propane tank in the trunk of his burned car and his back passenger seat down, suggesting the fire was intentionally set.
“They said it’s being investigated as arson,” Crespo said. “They also found some of my things with the other stolen property.”
Crawford County booking records show that Jones was booked into the Crawford County Jail at 10:53 a.m. on Nov. 3. He remains in custody without bond and is listed as a newly charged prisoner. Jones faced multiple felony counts, including aggravated burglary, felony theft, vehicle burglary, and arson of a non-dwelling. He is also being held on probation and parole violations and is on hold.
The arson charge, filed on Nov. 4, officially connected Jones to the early-morning vehicle fire on South Broadway Street. He remains in custody while the Crawford County Attorney’s Office reviews the case and prepares him for formal charges.
While Crespo said he did not personally know Jones, he later learned that the suspect had once worked for his father.
“It’s just crazy how small the world can be sometimes,” Crespo said.
Since the fire, Crespo said he has been working and learning to adjust without his vehicle.
“It’s been stressful trying to figure out what I’m going to do for transportation, finding a job, getting groceries, even going to fraternity events,” Crespo said. “I already don’t like asking for help, so relying on other people has been tough.”
The vehicle had deep sentimental value to Crespo.
“It was my grandma’s car that I bought from her,” Crespo said. “She passed away last year, so it was heartbreaking to see it like that, knowing there’s no way to fix it.”
While Crespo said he has not heard much from the university officials, he said one of his professors, Chris Bakke, former police officer, offered him some advice about the investigation process.
“That was really helpful,” Crespo said. “Otherwise, I think the university just isn’t fully aware of what happened, which I understand.”
Despite these obstacles, Crespo said he is grateful for the support from his fraternity brothers and friends.
“Not everyone knows because I’m not trying to make a big deal out of it,” Crespo said. “But the people who do know have been really supportive and offered to help. It meant a lot.”
Now, Crespo is focused on moving forward and with hope others will learn from this unfortunate experience.
“Lock your car, even if you live on campus,” Crespo said. “You think things are safe, but I’m proof that anything can happen. Stay prepared, and if something like this happens, keep your head high. Be able to laugh about it when you can. At the end of the day, as long as you’re breathing, you’ll be okay.”
The PPD continues to investigate the incident. Anyone with information is encouraged to contact PPD at (620) 231-1700 or the anonymous tip line at (620) 231-TIPS (8477).