COLORADO SPRINGS — The man arrested and charged with arson for allegedly igniting a 20-acre grass fire near Garden of the Gods Rd. and 30th St. is a known transient in the area.
Court documents show that at least one witness, a clerk at a nearby gas station, told police that the man they were looking for frequents the location, just steps from where the fire was started.
The fire broke out on Thursday, March 13 at the Blair Bridge Open Space off of 30th St. The Colorado Springs Fire Department responded after more than 60 calls for service poured in regarding the flames and were able to keep it from spreading to nearby homes.
Colorado Springs Police were able to arrest 48-year-old Adam Gilmour the same day.
After CSFD put out the fire, the documents state that the officer began investigating the fire's cause, and found a witness who worked across the street in an office building.
The witness told the officer that from his office window he noticed a man standing next to "two fires that were approximately 'campfire' size and an arm's length apart." He then told the officer that he saw the man "waving something around" as the fire grew and then continued onto a nearby trail.
Another set of witnesses, a married couple, told the officer that the man had run up to them as they were riding their bikes in the open space.
The couple said that as they came over a hill, they saw the man next to a fire that was quickly growing. According to them, the man was trying to put the fire out with his jacket until he ran up to them.
While the husband was calling 911 to report the fire, the wife said the man came up to her and said "Sorry, sorry, I was just trying to light a cigar."
The couple told the officer that as they were leaving, the man was rambling about how he was missing toes, and the wife noticed he had a medical boot on. They reported that he went towards the Loaf 'n Jug, but the husband was able to take a picture of him.
A CSPD officer was sent to the Loaf 'n Jug to collect surveillance footage and speak to employees about the situation.
The officer reported that one employee said the man, known as "Richard," was a homeless man who came in regularly. The employee told the officer that "Richard" had borrowed his phone to call his sister for a ride a few days ago.
Once officers were able to find "Richard's" sister's phone number, they said they were able to text her the picture that one witness had taken, and she confirmed that that was her brother.
According to the sister, her brother Adam Gilmour, often used the name 'Richard' because it was their father's name.
Gilmour's sister said that he had left a voicemail asking her to pick him up at a nearby vape store, and one officer went to the location. When the officer arrived, he said he found Gilmour who then refused to talk to him.
Gilmour was transported to the hospital to treat his injured foot and had to undergo "an operation to remove part of his foot" on Monday, March 18.
New video shows the moment Pueblo Police were involved in a shoot-out Tuesday evening
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