Were You Charged with Arson?

If you started a fire or explosion and you knew that the property where the fire took place belongs to another person or sits on property belonging to another person, then you can be charged with arson. Also, if you were aware of the fact that the fire you set affected a location that contained property belonging to another person, this is considered arson as well.

In addition, if property is insured against damage and there is a mortgage or lien on a property that is held by someone other than yourself, you can be charged for damage. This is because some individuals will purposefully attempt to burn a home or location in order to get a fire insurance settlement.

The Texas courts also maintain that a person can be charged with arson if he or she recklessly set fire or set off an explosion without any regard to the safety of others or without regard to another’s property. This means that if you start a campfire or play with fireworks in dry woods where a burn ban is put in place, and this eventually causes fire damages, then you could he charged with arson.

Also, if you accidentally start a fire that causes damage while you are trying to create a controlled substance, then this is considered arson. If you smoke and then toss a smoldering cigarette into a dry brush, which ignites a fire, then you can also be charged with this crime.

With so many different opportunities to be charged with arson, it is essential that you be cautious when working with fire and avoid every being reckless with it. Arson is considered a second-degree felony and is punishable by between 2 and 20 years in prison. If the fire involves a church, or if someone else is injured or killed, then it can carry a life sentence. Arson in the course of creating a controlled substance is punishable with between six months and two years in jail.