An Odessa man was arrested on suspicion of burglary and arson Tuesday night after employees of a night club trapped him inside.
According to an Odessa Police Department report, officers received a 911 burglary-in-progress call from the Location Lounge on Golder Avenue around 6:30 p.m.
When officers arrived, three men said they’d trapped another man inside because he wasn’t supposed to be there, the report stated.
Officers found Sherman Merritt, 31, inside and without prompting he said he’d broken into the building to look for food and water, according to the report.
Officers, who smelled something burning, found smoldering paper towels in a corner of the bar. Merritt said he’d burned them for a light source, the report stated.
Merritt was booked into the Ector County jail and as of Wednesday afternoon, no bond had been set. Arson is a Class 2 felony punishable by two to 20 years in prison. Burglary of a building is a state jail felony punishable by six months to two years in prison.
