A Leesburg man was arrested after allegedly admitted to trying to burn down a residence.
Ricky Alan Shepherd, 59, of 3 EMS B6 Lane, Leesburg, is charged with attempted arson, a level 4 felony; intimidation, a level 6 felony; resisting law enforcement, a Class A misdemeanor; and disorderly conduct, a Class B misdemeanor.
He was booked into the Kosciusko County Jail at 10:35 p.m. Sept. 6 on a $5,250 preliminary bond.
According to the probable cause affidavit, dispatch advised that an intoxicated person, later identified as Shepherd, attempted to set a fire to a residence. A Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Office deputy responded to the scene and a North Webster Police Department officer said Shepherd walked down the road and refused to stop.
The deputy located Shepherd. After Shepherd resisted being handcuffed, the deputy, with the assistance of multiple officers, was able to handcuff Shepherd. During this time, Shepherd was allegedly threatening to fight the police and said he wanted to kill the police.
The deputy talked with a woman who said Shepherd walked through her yard the previous day and flipped the woman and her husband off. Shepherd also allegedly yelled racial slurs toward the husband, who is African American, and cursed in front of a child.
The woman also said Shepherd later admitted to a second woman he tried to burn down the first woman’s house. The second woman thought Shepherd may have made the story up, but Shepherd told her to check around the house for the area he tried to burn the house.
Shepherd allegedly pointed to evidence of a burnt plate and matches he left on the northeast side of the residence. The plate was 6 to 8 inches away from the residence and 12 inches from gas lines and electrical equipment.
The deputy transported Shepherd to the hospital for medical clearance.
Court documents state Shepherd was rude to hospital names and called them names. Shepherd pushed against the deputy and attempted to exit the hospital.