Florida Man Upset Over Missed Motel Date Sets Fire to Rental Van Used by Oregon Couple

By Diane Megaw On Mar 26, 2026

A man, who was stood up by a female who failed to appear at a Florida motel for a planned rendezvous, was so enraged that he set fire to a van that had been rented by a couple from Oregon when they arrived at Tampa International Airport.

Kendarius Devonta Stitten (26) told federal and state investigators that he had believed the van belonged to the woman who failed to appear for their date. He started the fire with a burning T-shirt.

Tidings Insight

This became a federal case because the van was a rented commercial vehicle, and the Anti Arson Act covers property used in interstate commerce, not just buildings.

Stitten pleaded guilty to violating the federal Anti-Arson Act when he appeared in a Tampa court yesterday. He faces between five and 20 years in federal prison.

Tidings Insight

A guilty plea settles the charge, but not the punishment: the judge still decides the sentence, and federal law sets a floor of five years and a ceiling of 20.

The Rental Vehicle was Extensively Damaged

The incident occurred on March 20, 2025, in the parking lot of a motel in Bradenton. The fire caused extensive damage to the rented vehicle.

The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office, the Florida Bureau of Fire, Arson, and Explosives Investigations, and Cedar Hammock Fire Rescue. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Adam W. McCall.