KingPins arsonist sentenced

The man who burned his St. Peter bowling alley to the ground was sentenced Tuesday to six months in jail in Nicollet County Court.

Dwight Lee Selders, 48, pleaded guilty to felony second-degree arson in March after setting fire to KingPins in February 2020.

Selders will be eligible for work release when he serves his jail sentence.  He’ll serve three months this August, and another three months starting in August 2022.

Selders will also pay nearly $77,000 in restitution, with most of the funds going to the City of St. Peter for debris cleanup.

Selders and his co-owner were in a relationship that ended just days before the fire, with his girlfriend declaring her intent to get out of the business, according to court documents.  He admitted to setting the blaze after investigators saw texts from Selders indicating that he intended to let the business go to avoid financial peril.  Court documents say Selders also searched the internet for information on fire, accelerants, and insurance claims.