Arson attempted at Northern Arizona medical marijuana dispensary

KINGMAN, Ariz.— A bizarre attempt to torch a medical marijuana dispensary preparing to open in Kingman later this month went up in smoke early Sunday.

The Mohave County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the failed arson attempt at Kingman Green in the 2000 block of Northern Avenue.

Sheriff’s Office spokeswoman Trish Carter said a witness saw fire in the interior of a vehicle that was driven into the front of the business at 5:56 a.m. Video surveillance showed a white male adult exiting the burning vehicle, getting into another vehicle and fleeing the scene.

The burning vehicle, a 1990 Dodge sedan recently stolen in the Phoenix area, was destroyed but the building suffered only minor damage.

Harvey Jackson, a lawyer representing those opening the dispensary, said it was the second failed arson effort at the business in the last three weeks. He said the mid-May arson effort involved flares stuffed into an exterior pipe that led into the structure.

Northern Arizona Consolidated Fire District Chief Pat Moore confirmed the prior arson attempt and said that the flares caused only minor damage to the building.

Jackson said he assumes others marketing marijuana in the area want Kingman Green to remain closed.

“Some grower or growers feel that their livelihood is being threatened,” Jackson said. “There has been feedback in Kingman that these people that are growing resent the opening of the dispensary.”