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Virginia Beach man accused of setting his home on fire tells judge he was on pills when it happened 

Posted at 2:48 PM, Oct 27, 2016
and last updated 2016-10-27 17:07:59-04

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. - David Nelson is facing two charges: arson and threatening to burn an occupied dwelling.

Thursday, during his arraignment, he told the judge he had taken five or six pills, and had a bad reaction to them.

David Nelson, 32, charged with arson and threat to burn

David Nelson, 32, charged with arson and threat to burn

Fire officials say Nelson set two rooms on fire in his home on Haygood Road Wednesday.

A neighbor, who wanted to remain anonymous , tells News 3, she saw an argument before firefighters showed up.

"They were just cussing back and forth at each other like something had happened, and the lady was saying 'I'm sorry,'" she said.

Fire officials say they brought canines that detected accelerant.

Russell Frazier lives nearby, and spoke to firefighters.

"I talked with one of the firemen, and he said they had found accelerants in two of the rooms, so they thought the person who lived there set the fire," Frazier said.

Nelson refused to tell us his side of the story from jail. He will be back in court in December.