Staff Writer

Authorities say they think they have found the person who started at least one of the fires this summer at a Union apartment complex

Terry Donald Slentz, 44, who lived at Pinckney Place Apartments, was charged Friday evening with second-degree arson by the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division. Chief Sam White of the Union Public Safety Department said Slentz is accused of setting a fire in the elevator at the apartments on 1300 South Pinckney St. Thursday. This fire and two other blazes at the facility this summer forced the evacuation of residents and left several temporarily homeless.

White said Slentz is originally from Ohio and has a previous conviction for arson in that state.

Slentz is being held in the Union County Jail; Union County Magistrate Whitney Smith denied bond for him.

Slentz was arrested after an investigation that included SLED Agent Lt. Bobby Shealy, city fire commander Lt. Tony Gregory and Investigator Robbie McGee interviewing Slentz' neighbors at the apartments.

“Yesterday (Thursday) during interviews with people this guy came to our attention,” White said.

Two other fires in June and July at the apartments remain under investigation.

On June 28, an interior dumpster began smoking, possibly because someone had dropped a trash bag containing a cigarette in it.

Less than two weeks later, a fire started at the apartments after someone left a cigarette smoldering on a couch.

“We have some more work to do and there may be some more charges,” White said. “We are still looking at the other fires.”

Armed robbery

A Union man said he was robbed early Sunday morning by an armed gang.

The 34-year-old victim told Officer Al Griffin with the public safety department that he stopped at Bantam Chef around 2 a.m. to get a paper out of the box. He was approached by five men who asked him for his wallet. One of them had a silver pistol and another had a stick or a bat.

The man said he took off running and went down Union Boulevard, Lipsey Street, West Henrietta and Chambers Avenue where his left knee gave out and he fell down. The five men approached, asked for his wallet again, and at least one struck him in the head with something.

The victim said he threw his wallet. The suspects began looking for it and he got up and ran away. He got back to his vehicle and drove to the public safety department. Sgt. David Brewington called for Union County EMS. The man was taken to Wallace Thomson Hospital for treatment.

The victim told Griffin he wasn't sure if the robbers found his wallet. He said it contained $20, a credit card and personal items.

The suspects were wearing white T-shirts and one had a red bandana over his face. They were all 15 to 20 years old.

Theft

A man doing work for Arthur State Bank on a house on 128 Park Drive told Officer Mike Gregory Friday that someone had taken apart a central air conditioning unit and stolen all the copper and aluminum. A value of these parts was not listed on the report.