An Izard County man is facing multiple charges after he left the scene of an accident and then hid his truck and started multiple fires to “prepare for hunting season.” Being held in the Izard County Jail is 46-year-old Brenson Seth Webb of Mount Pleasant.
According to the probable cause affidavit from the Izard County Sheriff’s Office, the incidents involving Webb started last Friday when Webb went to a woman’s house north of Melbourne to show her a gun and became upset when she wasn’t interested. When leaving the residence, Webb backed into a truck and then left the scene. The woman provided video of the incident, and a deputy was able to identify Webb’s vehicle and confirm he does not have insurance.
While there, Webb called the woman, and the deputy talked to him. He instructed Webb to stop driving because the woman told the deputy Webb had been drinking and medicating. Webb said he knew he shouldn’t be driving, but would not pull over.
The next morning, deputies were called to a fire in Mount Pleasant because fire officials believed the fires they were working had been intentionally set. While speaking with the Mount Pleasant fire chief and landowner, it was mentioned Webb was seen on the property the prior night, and his truck was still parked there.
The deputy and a family member drove to meet Webb, and he said he had made a campfire. The fire chief then drove up and said they had found a few more fires and Webb told the deputy he had set four or five fires “to clear spots to hunt.”
When they got to Webb’s truck, the deputy found an empty bottle of alcohol Webb admitted to drinking the night before. Webb also said he hid the truck “because it was expired.”
After being taken into custody, Webb admitted to setting eight to 10 fires. He said he assumed there was a burn ban in effect because it hadn’t rained in one to two months.
It was also learned a man was keeping cattle on the land, with 12 cows and one calf. Damage to the cattle, consisting of fencing, hay production, labor, and suspected harm to the animals from stress due to the fires, is estimated at more than $1,000 but less than $5,000.
Seventy-five acres were damaged by the fires. The damage to the land is valued at $6,000.
Webb is facing a felony count of unlawful burning and three felony counts of first-degree criminal mischief, along with a misdemeanor count of leaving the scene of an accident with property damage and driving while intoxicated – fourth offense. His bond is set at $20,000, but the judge has ordered him to be held without bond at this time.
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