When Charlottesville fire fighters arrived at 990 Fifth St. on May 4, they found the roof of the one-storey portion of Charlottesville Church of Christ had collapsed, with flames shooting from the building and smoke billowing from behind its charred walls. They surrounded the church, which the congregation had built only 17 years back, and doused the flames that hadn’t yet reached the church’s steepled sanctuary.
 James Scott Santos, 25, broke into the Charlottesville Church of Christ for food and shelter, but after accidentally setting the building aflame, he will pay with up to 20 years in prison. |
After the flames had been soused, investigations showed that the kitchen suffered the most damage—a microwave had been burned to the point of oxidizing, a refrigerator had melted and collapsed. Firefighters managed to save the sanctuary, but the church’s administrative offices and gathering spaces had been decimated, with damages estimated at $1.2 million, according to court documents.
Police later discovered that as the church burned that day, a deaf homeless man named Jason Scott Santos watched from the woods across the street where he had been living. He had broken into the church looking for a meal, stolen a few dollars’ worth of hamburger and accidentally burned the church when he left a kitchen towel on a lit burner.
Santos was arrested when workers at UVA Hospital reported a man with a cut hand smelled strongly of smoke. Police found Santos’ blood in the church near the window that he broke to enter the building.
The 25-year-old Santos, who speaks in sign language, was uncooperative with interpreters provided at Region Ten Community Services during his mental evaluation. But, Santos was found intelligent and competent to stand trial.
Santos’ court-appointed counsel made a motion to drop the felony breaking and entering charge and lessen the arson charge because Santos broke into the church only to steal food. When the motion was denied, Santos pleaded guilty December 12 to breaking and entering with the intent to commit a felony, petit larceny (for the hamburgers) and arson. He faces up to 20 years in prison—sentencing is scheduled for March 15.