A Meeker area man has been charged with arson following his arrest recently by an agent with the State Fire Marshal’s Office.
Youlha Rhodes, 39, was formally charged in Lincoln County District Court Jan. 13 with second degree arson.
Rhodes appeared beforeAssociate District Judge Sheila Kirk Jan. 11 and she set his bond at $200,000. He made an initial appearance on Jan. 17.
The charge accuses Rhodes on Jan. 10 this year in Lincoln County of setting fire to an uninhabited building/ structure located at 338972 East Highway 62 in Meeker.
If convicted, Rhodes could face a fine not to exceed $20,000 or be confined in the state Penitentiary up to 25 years or both.
Loren Salzer, an agent with the State Fire Marshall’s Office, states in a probable cause affidavit of being advised of a request for assistance throughAgent Supervisor Anthony Reed on Jan. 10 and on arrival at 338972 East Highway 62 Meeker, met with Jacktown Fire Chieft Dustin Miller.
Miller debriefed Salzer and identified two separate fires. One was a single-wide mobile home almost fully consumed by fire and the second one was a small fire in the front of another home beginning to extend into the attic.
Both fires were completely extinguished by the time Salzer arrived, it’s stated in the affidavit.
Salzer spoke with the immediate neighbors and reporting party, Malcom Sanders and Debbie Campbell and they advised that after going to bed for the evening they heard an excessive amount of noise coming from the exterior of their residence.
They contacted 9-1-1. They informed Salzer that prior to the commotion outside they heard a vehicle leaving the scene and told the agent the only known vehicle in the driveway and immediate area at that time was that of Youlha Rhodes.
Sanders discovered the driver side window of his vehicle had been smashed and a screwdriver impaled in the ramp leading to their home.
The agent states in the affidavit that Lincoln County Deputy Kevin Chapman on Jan. 7 shortly after midnight had responded to 338970 E. Highway 62 for a welfare check. On his arrival, he identified a silver Mazda sedan with all the windows busted and broken.
Chapman reportedly witnessed Rhodes attempt to pull wire from the ceiling of one of the detached garages and attempt to demolish additional items. Chapman’s report, it’s stated, says that Sanders also witnessed Rhodes breaking the windows of the structure and throwing things out.
According to the affidavit, Rhodes was arrested for disturbing the peace.
As the investigation continued, Rhodes was identified as a person of interest in one of the fires and was located in a vehicle with bustedandbrokenwindows in a parking space in front of the Kickapoo Phillips Gas Station at 332259 E Highway 62 in McLoud in Lincoln County, according to the affidavit.
He was detained for questioning by Lincoln County deputies.