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Gap Road arson defendant bound over to District Court

David K. Spiker (Campbell County Sheriff's Office)

GILLETTE, Wyo. — The felony arson case against a man accused of starting a large-scale fire on Gap Road has been bound over to District Court, Campbell County court records say. 

David K. Spiker, 62, was arrested and charged with felony third-degree arson after allegedly starting a 52-acre grassfire on 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 say Spiker was to appear for a preliminary hearing on June 11; however, the case has been bound over to District Court with the arson defendant waiving his preliminary examination in Circuit Court following two continuances. 

Spiker was arrested on March 10 following reports of an out-of-control fire damaging property, equipment, buildings, a boat and a vehicle on Gap Road, per the affidavit. Through the investigation, it was learned Spiker started the fire while attempting a controlled burn on his property. 

Court documents state Spiker took the proper step in notifying the authorities of his plan, though he failed to have an appropriate method to contain or extinguish the fire if it got out of control. When he realized he had lost control of the fire, Spiker ran to get his skid steer and ultimately called for emergency aid. 

Spiker reportedly told deputies the wind kicked up after he started the burn, but weather information indicated wind conditions were consistently between 12 and 17 mph during the fire, per the affidavit. 

Deputies ultimately determined Spiker’s actions constituted criminal recklessness or endangerment by not taking proper precautions before starting a fire that caused significant damage to his neighbors’ property, court documents state. 

Felony third-degree arson is punishable by up to five years in prison, a $5,000 fine, or both, per Wyoming State Statute.

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