Robert Allen Vandergriff
Police said a city police officer was burned on his side after slipping and falling into a liquid spread by Robert Allen Vandergriff to start a fire at a Hixson duplex in an incident on Aug. 2.
An affidavit says Vandergriff aimed at setting fires at the front door and basement door to kill officers as they came from one side of the duplex to the other to try to apprehend him.
Vandergriff, 41, is charged with three counts of attempted first-degree murder, vandalism, theft and aggravated burglary.
Police went to 2106 Eldridge Road on a burglary investigation and found John Stokes and Christopher Davis outside. Vandergriff went into Side A of the duplex and would not let officers in.
Vandergriff then began to set fires, and he tried to go through the attic and ceiling into the other side.
One officer eventually pulled Vandergriff from where he was trapped in a basement area. Vandergriff was suffering from severe smoke inhalation. That officer was treated for burns and smoke inhalation.