Man Sets Fire to Tree Stand While He's
In It After Being Accused of Bath Salt Use
A Warren County man accused of using bath salts allegedly set items in a house on fire, ran from police and then set a tree stand on fire while he was in it.
Police say the incident started on Tuesday evening when 31-year-old Jacob Richards was inside in house on Pineville Road in Southwest Township pounding on the floors, walls and ceiling of his bedroom. After the 51-year-old female victim confronted him about using bath salts, he barricaded himself inside his room and fired a shot from a shotgun. The victim left the house and contacted police.
When state police, sheriff’s deputies, and adult probation officers arrived on the scene Richards would not answer the phone or the public address system used to contact him inside the house. He eventually set fire to items inside the house. Smoke started coming from the eaves of the house and he crawled out through a hole he cut in the floor and ran into the woods.
Several members of the sheriff’s department tried to apprehend him with no success. Two deputies were hurt during the pursuit.
Several hours later police found Richards in a tree stand in a wooded area in Pleasantville. He refused to come out of the tree stand, and set fire to it while he was still in it.
Richards was eventually taken into custody and taken to Warren General Hospital for treatment of injuries he sustained during the pursuit. He was then taken to jail on charges of arson, flight to avoid apprehension, persons not to possess firearm, recklessly endangering another person and resisting arrest. Police say further court action is pending.
During a search of the house after the fire was put out, police found a rifle and a 12-guage shotgun with 5 live shells in it. They also found several live rounds near the rifle.
Franklin-based state police and Forest County sheriff's deputies assisted.
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Police say the incident started on Tuesday evening when 31-year-old Jacob Richards was inside in house on Pineville Road in Southwest Township pounding on the floors, walls and ceiling of his bedroom. After the 51-year-old female victim confronted him about using bath salts, he barricaded himself inside his room and fired a shot from a shotgun. The victim left the house and contacted police.
When state police, sheriff’s deputies, and adult probation officers arrived on the scene Richards would not answer the phone or the public address system used to contact him inside the house. He eventually set fire to items inside the house. Smoke started coming from the eaves of the house and he crawled out through a hole he cut in the floor and ran into the woods.
Several members of the sheriff’s department tried to apprehend him with no success. Two deputies were hurt during the pursuit.
Several hours later police found Richards in a tree stand in a wooded area in Pleasantville. He refused to come out of the tree stand, and set fire to it while he was still in it.
Richards was eventually taken into custody and taken to Warren General Hospital for treatment of injuries he sustained during the pursuit. He was then taken to jail on charges of arson, flight to avoid apprehension, persons not to possess firearm, recklessly endangering another person and resisting arrest. Police say further court action is pending.
During a search of the house after the fire was put out, police found a rifle and a 12-guage shotgun with 5 live shells in it. They also found several live rounds near the rifle.
Franklin-based state police and Forest County sheriff's deputies assisted.
The news leader of the Twin Tiers ...since 1947
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