Man Facing Arson, Weapon ChargesA Syracuse man is facing charges from a January 2019 event in which police had to fire shots and prevent him from burning a house down.
Dale Ray Harner, 30, formerly of 505 N. Huntington St., Syracuse, and now showing an address in Fort Wayne, was booked in the Kosciusko County Jail at 12:28 p.m. Wednesday and faces charges for attempted arson, a Level 4 felony; intimidation with a deadly weapon, a Level 5 felony; criminal recklessness while armed with a deadly weapon, a Level 6 felony; intimidation, a Level 6 felony; and possession of methamphetamine, a Level 6 felony.
According to the probable cause affidavit filed July 11, 2019, in Kosciusko Superior Court I, on Jan. 31, 2019, the Syracuse Police Department received a call from a woman who said Harner has been using meth for a long time and has become paranoid.
The woman said Harner was barricading the doors to the Huntington Street residence, which she owns, and was not allowing her to leave or anyone to get inside.
Furthermore, the woman said she was able to escape on Jan. 31 and that after she escaped, Harner allegedly sent her and the woman’s aunt a text message that contained a picture of a gas can and a pile of clothing and a picture of a handgun, knife and drug paraphernalia. Harner is alleged to have told the women that when the woman who escaped returns to the home, he will kill her then kill himself.
Police learned Harner had an active arrest warrant out of Wabash County, according to court records, so they went to the home to serve the warrant and investigate the intimidation claims from the woman.
According to the affidavit, upon arrival, officers breached the door that had been barricaded by Harner and found Harner with a handgun, gasoline poured inside the home and Harner was holding a cigarette, unknown if it was lit.
During the entry, according to the affidavit, Harner raised his hand with the firearm and pointed it at officers. Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Office deputy Travis Shively was standing in the doorway and yelled “gun!” and fired two shots at Harner.
Both shots missed, and Harner dropped the gun but would not submit to officers’ commands, according to court papers.
A K9 was then used to subdue Harner, who was then taken to the hospital to be treated for dog bites before being arrested.
Inside the home, according to the affidavit, police ventilated the residence to get rid of the gas fumes, found a gas stove burner burning in the kitchen, 0.12 grams of methamphetamine, a BB handgun that appeared to be a real handgun and smoking devices.
When Indiana State Police detectives spoke with Harner, according to the affidavit, he admitted that when he saw police approaching the home he yelled, “I’ve got a gun! I’ve got a gun!” He further allegedly admitted the gun was a BB gun in his hand when officers shot at him and he knew there was an active warrant for his arrest.
