Months after Overland Park apartment fire, Missouri suspect arrested, charged with arson

A Missouri resident has been arrested and charged with arson in a March fire that displaced residents at an apartment complex in Overland Park, according to court records.

Chrissy I. Carter, 28, of Lowry City, Missouri, was arrested August 8 and charged with three counts of arson with risk of bodily harm, a felony, according to Johnson County Sheriff’s Office arrest and booking records. Carter is being held on $100,000 bond.

An Overland Park police officer responded around 2:49 a.m. on March 19 to the Sheridan Ridge Townhomes, 8403 Carter St., where a 911 caller reported someone screaming, according to an affidavit filed in Johnson County District Court. A 911 call taker could hear the person yelling “Come on!” and “What the f*** is wrong with you?”

The responding officer heard Carter yelling for help and saw heavy, black smoke billowing out of the home. Carter was on the sidewalk in front of the residence, according to the affidavit.

Police evacuated residents and contacted fire crews who responded around 3 a.m.

When asked how the fire started, Carter told police she started cooking hot dogs on the stove but fell asleep on the sofa. The fire had already started when she woke up. Her boyfriend tried to put it out, but it was too late, according to the affidavit.

Police and detectives said Carter later gave conflicting accounts of how the fire started.

All residents had evacuated the building safely, but residents from eight units of the two-story complex were displaced, Jason Rhodes, a spokesman for the Overland Park Fire Department, said in March.

Crews had the fire under control within two hours.

No injuries were reported and a local chapter of the Red Cross helped displaced residents.

The Star’s Matti Gellman contributed to this report.