Posted on 05/01/2003 3:24:18 PM PDT by xm177e2
ABILENE, Texas (AP) - The man hailed as a hero for rescuing four children from a burning building over the weekend has been named as a suspect in the arson because of "discrepancies" in his story, authorities said Thursday.
Kris Leija, 22, is one of several people whom authorities said they are questioning about Sunday's blaze at an apartment complex.
Investigators ruled arson was the cause after finding a small amount of accelerant in a trailer near where the fire apparently started. The kind of hydrocarbon accelerant - gasoline, for example, is a common one - is being determined by the state fire marshal.
Leija is a suspect in part because of discrepancies in his story, said Randy Doan, Abilene assistant fire marshal.
"There are some discrepancies there," Doan said. "That's one of the aspects of it. There have been a lot of reports. I don't know which one is factual. I haven't been able to discuss that with the fellow."
Leija has described three ways that he came upon the fire: driving to a relative's house, walking to a store and riding a bicycle to a relative's home. Leija braved the flames three times to rescue four children, ignoring paramedics who warned him not to put himself in danger.
Leija was arrested the next day for a violating probation on an unrelated burglary charge after authorities recognized him on TV.
Leija's attorney, Sam Moore, said his client has not wavered in his account.
"He's never told me he was walking or driving a car," Moore said. "He doesn't have a license and he doesn't have a car. He borrowed his cousin's bicycle."
City spokeswoman Pam Percival said investigators could not say what evidence beyond Leija's presence at the fire scene made him a suspect.
"We can't release any information because we don't want to interfere with the investigation," she said.
A cousin of Leija recalled that Leija played the role of hero at another fire.
Precilla Estrada, 21, said Leija was among a group socializing at a house last August when they realized a nearby duplex was on fire and he rushed over.
Abilene Fire Department records show Leija cut his arm when he broke a window trying to get into the burning duplex. That blaze was caused when a child accidentally set a couch on the porch on fire, according to a fire report.
The two similar events taking place so close together seemed odd, even to Leija. "He said, 'I don't know mom, I think God's trying to tell me something,'" his mother, Janie Ochoa, said.
Abilene city officials said they would not comment about the previous fire because it was being considered part of the ongoing arson investigation.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.