Man arrested in connection to a house fire that killed 9 puppies
Feb 13, 2024, 7:29 PM | Updated: Feb 14, 2024, 7:50 pm
A structure fire in North Salt Lake Monday evening left nine puppies dead and one person hurt, according to South Davis Metro Fire. (Alston Crosby)
(Alston Crosby)
NORTH SALT LAKE — A man who was dragged from a burning North Salt Lake house told police he intentionally started the fire and knew the nine puppies killed were in the house when he started the blaze.
Jason Mathew Cobb, 42, was booked into jail for investigation of aggravated arson, a felony, and nine counts of aggravated cruelty to an animal. Police arrived at the house fire on Orchard Drive and found Cobb, who regained consciousness after a neighbor dragged him out of the home.
North Salt Lake Police Department officers said Cobb was agitated and told them he was “nuts,” according to probable cause documents. Cobb told officers he started the fire in an attempt to take his own life. In court documents, police said Cobb “appeared to be under the influence of an illegal substance.”
North Salt Lake house fire leaves one person hurt, nine puppies dead
Police said as they were talking to Cobb, they saw firefighters take nine puppies out of the home. Efforts to resuscitate the dogs failed. Cobb was taken to a hospital.
Two officers visited Cobb at the hospital and said they after they advised him of his rights, he was willing to speak with them.
Cobb allegedly told police he used a pressurized can and a flammable liquid to start the fire, lighting his bed on fire.
“Jason told officers that he was hearing voices and was on crystal meth, which he smoked earlier that day,” documents state. With a search warrant, after the fire, investigators located evidence in the pile of bed springs that were once Cobb’s bed.
Arson investigators said there were obvious signs of spilled accelerant on the remains of the carpet in Cobb’s bedroom. North Salt Lake police collected the items and booked them into evidence.
“Jason’s room in the basement was badly damaged due to the fire,” documents state.
Cobb was treated at the University of Utah Hospital and then placed in custody by University of Utah police transferred to North Salt Lake police and then booked into jail.
