American tourist accused of Okinawa hotel arson was warned about smoking before incident

OKINAWA (TR) – Okinawa Prefectural Police have arrested a 32-year-old American tourist after he allegedly set fire to a hotel in the town of Chatan last month following repeated warnings about smoking indoors, reports RBC TV (Sep. 3).

Poseidon Alexander Roberson a self-proclaimed company employee, is accused of suspicion of arson and attempted murder.

In the early hours of July 15, allegedly started a fire at the budget hotel with the intent to kill, fully aware that 18 other guests were inside the building at the time.

The fire severely injured a man in his 50s from Osaka Prefecture, who suffered airway burns and carbon monoxide poisoning and was temporarily left unconscious.

According to investigative sources, Roberson had been staying at the hotel for about a week prior to the incident. During his stay, hotel staff had warned him multiple times for repeatedly smoking in designated non-smoking areas.

Six days after the fire, in the early hours of July 21, patrolling police officers spotted Roberson breaking into a commercial complex in Urasoe City. He was found sleeping inside and was arrested on the spot for trespassing. Authorities noted that he showed no signs of alcohol or drug use at the time of his arrest.

Police sent Roberson to the Naha District Public Prosecutors Office on Thursday. Investigators are continuing to look into his exact methods and motive, including whether the smoking dispute led to further altercations with hotel staff or other guests.

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冲绳（TR）——据 RBC 电视台（9 月 3 日）报道，冲绳县警方逮捕了一名 32 岁的美国游客，据称该游客上个月在北谷町纵火焚烧了一家酒店，此前曾多次收到禁止在室内吸烟的警告。

自称是该公司员工的波塞冬·亚历山大·罗伯逊被指控涉嫌纵火和谋杀未遂。

据称，7 月 15 日凌晨，他纵火焚烧了这家经济型酒店，意图杀人，并且完全知道当时楼内还有其他 18 位客人。

火灾导致大阪府一名 50 多岁的男子严重受伤，他呼吸道烧伤并一氧化碳中毒，一度失去知觉。

据调查人员透露，罗伯逊在事发前已在该酒店住了大约一周。入住期间，酒店工作人员曾多次警告他，他屡次在指定的禁烟区吸烟。

火灾发生六天后，7月21日凌晨，巡逻警员发现罗伯逊闯入浦添市一处商业综合体。他被发现睡在里面，并因非法侵入当场被捕。警方注意到，罗伯逊被捕时并未表现出任何饮酒或吸毒的迹象。

警方于周四将罗伯逊移送至那霸地方检察厅。调查人员正在继续调查他的具体作案手法和动机，包括吸烟纠纷是否导致他与酒店员工或其他客人发生进一步冲突。

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