Maricopa County voters are being contacted after roughly 20 mail-in ballots were destroyed in a mailbox fire.
The Phoenix Fire Department received a report around 1 a.m. of mailbox fire outside a U.S. Postal Office in the area of 3900 North 7th Avenue. The fire was put out and after the mail was recovered, it was discovered that some of the mail-in ballots in the mailbox were completely damaged.
Suspect Dieter Klofkorn, 35, pleaded guilty to the arson and was located and arrested Thursday by the Phoenix Police Department in cooperation with the Phoenix Fire Department’s Arson Investigation Task Force. However, Klofkorn claimed that the incident was unrelated to the upcoming election.
“Klofkorn was located and arrested for an outstanding and unrelated arrest warrant,” reads the Phoenix Police Department news release. “While in custody, he was interviewed about his involvement in the arson. Klofkorn admitted to committing the arson. Klofkorn stated that he committed the arson because he wanted to be arrested and that his actions were not politically motivated and not related to anything involving the upcoming election.”
Klofkorn was booked into jail on one felony account of arson of property
Maricopa County Recorder Stephen Richer released a statement that his office has contacted the majority of voters they believe were affected, but encourages voters who used the 7th Avenue and Indian School Road mailbox after 5 p.m. on Wednesday night to check the status of their ballot online.
