A man who allegedly set fire to his own van has been accused of attacking an officer in Springfield.
The ordeal began around 7:30 p.m. Thursday when Stephen Comiskey and his wife allegedly lit their vehicle on fire in a KFC parking lot.
Apparently, he told police the vehicle was “evil” and that they were in Springfield to “save the world.”
Springfield Police said he also grabbed an officer by the neck and slammed him into a vehicle after trying to break into a building.
"I just thank god it turned out differently," said Angela Cook, manager of the KFC. "It could have really caused a lot of damage, hurt a lot of people. You know, I'm just glad it ended the way it did."
Police confirmed that he is a person of interest after his Hermitage house burned down earlier in the evening. NewsChannel 5 spoke to neighbors along Hallford Court, who were jolted by the shaking of the street and tall flames.
Fire investigators are still trying to determine how the fire started. They said they're not ruling anything out.
Comiskey was renting the home at the time of the fire.
WARNING: The video contains harsh language.
He was booked into the Robertson County Jail on charges of evading arrest, burglary, resisting arrest, aggravated assault, and vandalism.
Comiskey was also arrested in Nashville in August for allegedly forcing his 12-year-old daughter to jump into the river with him.
