GILLETTE, Wyo. — A Circuit Court judge has granted a second continuance in the felony arson case against a man accused of starting a large-scale fire on Gap Road, Campbell County court records say.
David K. Spiker, 62, is charged with felony arson for allegedly igniting a grassfire that consumed 51 acres near Gap Road while attempting to clear weeds from his property in mid-March, according to an affidavit of probable cause filed in the case.
Court records state Spiker was to appear for a preliminary hearing on May 16; however, restitution proceedings prompted the second continuance in the felony arson case against him with a new preliminary hearing date set for June 11. The order granting the continuance, signed by Circuit Court Judge Wendy M. Bartlett, states the case will not be continued a third time.
Spiker was arrested on March 19 after Campbell County Sheriff’s deputies and Campbell County Fire Department personnel responded to an out-of-control fire damaging property, equipment, buildings, a boat and a vehicle, the affidavit says.
Through the resulting investigation, it was learned Spiker started the fire while attempting a controlled burn on his property. While he did notify the proper authorities of his plan, Spiker reportedly failed to take the appropriate steps to contain the fire, nor did he have the means to extinguish it when it got out of control, according to the affidavit.
Court documents state Spiker told investigators the wind kicked up after he started the burn. He reportedly ran to get his skid steer to contain the fire when it got out of hand and called for emergency aid when he couldn’t contain the blaze.
According to the affidavit, wind conditions were consistently between 12 and 17 mph during the fire. Deputies reportedly determined Spiker’s actions constituted criminal recklessness or endangerment by not taking proper precautions before starting a fire that caused significant damage to his neighbor’s property.
