INGALLS — An 18-year-old man was arrested late Tuesday on suspicion of arson in connection with a home fire earlier in the day.
Ingalls police arrested Brian M. Hedback, Ingalls, at about 11:15 p.m. Tuesday in connection with a fire set to a home at 526 N. Alfonte St. at about 12:30 a.m.
Hedback made an initial court appearance Wednesday, but prosecutors requested an extra three days to file formal charges. According to court documents, Hedback could be charged with arson as a Class B felony, which is punishable by up to six to 20 years behind bars. Hedback was being held in the Madison County Jail on $20,000 bond late Wednesday.
According to a probable cause affidavit:
Ronnie Smith, who lived at 526 N. Alfonte with his girlfriend, told investigators Hedback drove by the home about two hours before the fire erupted and threw an object at the house, cracking the home’s vinyl siding.
Investigators then contacted Hedback’s parents, who told them Hedback was staying with a family friend in Anderson. The friend told officers Hedback asked her to tell police he arrived at her home around midnight, when he really showed up at about 1 a.m. Tuesday.
When they spoke to Hedback, he admitted asking the friend to lie about when he got to the home “because he was scared,” according to the affidavit written by Lt. Chris Thompson.
“Brian stated that he has episodes where he flips out and it seems like a dream,” according to the affidavit.
Hedback told Thompson that he does not remember starting the fire, but remembers driving to Smith’s neighborhood and driving away after the fire started. Thompson found two empty gasoline cans in Hedback’s car, and the car smelled of gas. Hedback claimed Smith had punched him in the past and pulled a gun on him, according to the affidavit.
Smith denied the fire was the result of an ongoing dispute and claimed Hedback has previously broken into his home and has been harassing him, his girlfriend and his two young sons.
“I confronted him one time about the house (being) broken into,” Smith said Wednesday. “It’s not really a feud.
“He was harassing me. He was mad at me for accusing him of breaking into my house.”
Smith said firefighters had the fire out in about 40 minutes. He is currently staying with relatives living outside Madison County.
Smith said he has lived in the home for about two years. Only he and his girlfriend were inside the home at the time of the fire. Smith, who doesn’t have renter’s insurance, said firefighters told him the fire caused an estimated $50,000 in damage.
“That’s not counting my stuff,” Smith said, “which I worked hard for.”
What’s next
Prosecutors have until Monday to file formal charges against Brian Hedback, or he must be released from jail. Hedback is being held on $20,000 bond, accused of setting an Ingalls home on fire early Tuesday.
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