Pueblo man accused of stabbing girlfriend, setting fire in vacant house

PUEBLO, Colo. (KRDO) -- Pueblo police say a suspect accused of stabbing his girlfriend several times Sunday morning was arrested after starting a fire in a nearby vacant house.

According to a release from the Pueblo Police Department, officers were called to a home on W. 13th Street for a reported stabbing. The suspect was identified as 38-year-old Christopher Abeyta.

Police found Abeyta nearby, and he ran into a vacant house on W. 14th Street and refused to exit.

PPD says Abeyta was "challenging the officers to kill him" before he started negotiating with them. Abeyta reportedly told police he would leave the home after he smoked a cigarette.

But after a cigarette was given to Abeyta, police say his "demeanor changed" and he threatened to burn the vacant house down. That's when he started a fire inside the home, according to PPD. While the fire was burning, an aerosol container exploded, and Abeyta ran out of the home.

Abeyta was arrested, and the Pueblo Fire Department put out the fire.

Police say the victim was taken to a hospital with serious body injuries, but she's expected to survive.

Abeyta faces charges of first-degree assault, crimes against at-risk adult, domestic violence, third degree assault, first-degree burglary, first-degree arson and possession of incendiary device.