Man indicted over 2000 fire at Cape dealership

An officer of a Cape Girardeau car dealership was indicted in U.S. District Court last month on charges of arson and fraud in connection with a fire that destroyed the offices of the dealership, and the burning of two cars.

Gregory Allen Sparkman, 44, a stockholder of West Park Motors Inc., was arrested and released on $10,000 bond about two weeks ago.

The grand jury alleged Sparkman fraudulently collected an estimated $90,000 from Safeco Property and Casualty Cos. in connection with the fires. He was indicted by the grand jury April 21.

The indictment alleges Sparkman set fire to the West Park Motors' office, 3427 William St., on Dec. 12, 2000, with the intent of collecting insurance money.

Cape Girardeau lawyer Albert C. Lowes, who is representing a witness to the incidents, said around the same time Sparkman took a 1997 Dodge van and 1998 GMC Yukon down to the Diversion Channel and set them on fire.

"My man was someone who knew about it, he worked for him [Sparkman], but he couldn't do anything about it," Lowes said. Though the witness, who Lowes declined to identify, didn't know Sparkman was going to burn up the first vehicle, Lowes said he did know he intended to burn the second one.

The grand jury also charged Sparkman with mail fraud in connection with using the mail to obtain the insurance proceeds.