Affidavit: Man accused of arson at apartment complex where person he met on dating app was staying

AUSTIN (KXAN) — A man is facing arson and aggravated assault charges after being accused of starting a fire at a north Austin apartment complex , leaving two people with serious injuries, according to Travis County court records.

According to an arrest warrant affidavit and online jail records, Pavel Sapronov, 37, is facing one count of arson and two counts of aggravated assault.

KXAN reached out to the attorney for Sapronov for a comment and will update this story when we receive a response.

Court documents noted the fire happened the morning of Tuesday, Sept. 3 at an apartment complex in the 500 block of West Longspur Boulevard.

According to the affidavit, Sapronov met a woman on a dating app and they arranged to meet at a hotel on August 25. When Sapronov arrived, he allegedly attacked her, but another person intervened, and Sapronov fled.

On September 3, the woman reconnected with a man through the dating app, not realizing it was the same individual who she alleged had attacked her previously. According to court documents, that person assaulted the woman again at an apartment on Longspur, but another person, once again, intervened.

Some time later, another person inside the apartment, who was sleeping on the couch, heard a loud noise against the apartment door and saw a bright flash of light before smelling smoke, the affidavit said. Court documents said that person found a fire burning outside of the apartment door, which appeared to only scorch the exterior of the door and then burned itself out. All three witnesses stayed inside and went back to bed without calling 911, per the affidavit.

A few hours later, the person sleeping on the couch said they heard footsteps outside and saw fire at the door to the apartment again, the affidavit said. All three of them got out of the apartment without injury and called 9-1-1.

The fire temporary displaced 40 people and damaged at least four units. The fire hurt a man and a woman in the apartment next to where the fire started.

Through interviews, descriptions, text history and surveillance footage, investigators connected the incidents and identified Sapronov as the suspect. He is now in jail on arson and assault charges.

The affidavit said arson investigators believe Sapronov started the fires with “intent to destroy or damage the habitation known to him to be occupied and in retaliation against the occupants” of the apartment unit.

Sapronov is being held in the Travis County Jail on a bond total of $110,000 for the charges of arson and aggravated assault, according to online jail records.

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