St. Cloud Man Pleads Guilty to Setting His Apartment on Fire

FOLEY (WJON News) -- A St. Cloud man accused of trying to burn down his apartment has pleaded guilty to 1st-degree arson.

Twenty-year-old Hunter Hipp will be sentenced in Benton County District Court on August 16th. St. Cloud firefighters responded to 1212 2nd Street Northeast in April 2022 and discovered a second-floor apartment on fire.

Crews evacuated the building and were able to put out the flames before they spread to other units.

Police spoke to Hipp who admitted to starting the fire. According to the charges filed in Benton County, Hipp said he lit the stove on fire, put a bunch of flammable items in the corner, and lit that on fire as well.

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Court records show officers asked him why he did it and Hipp said he wanted to be arrested and thought arson was the quickest and easiest way.

Records show Hipp acknowledged what he did was dangerous and that people could have gotten hurt, but did it anyway.

A mental competency exam determined Hipp was competent to face the criminal charge.

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