Drunk man arrested after allegedly trying to light cabin on fire - East Idaho News
Crime Watch

Drunk man arrested after allegedly trying to light cabin on fire

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CHALLIS — A 44-year-old man was arrested after he tried to break into a cabin, fell and hit his head, then tried to light the cabin on fire.

Justin Allan Green was charged with his third or subsequent felony DUI, felony attempted arson, felony attempted burglary, a felony enhancement for being a persistent violator, misdemeanor possession of burglary tools, misdemeanor trespassing and misdemeanor malicious injury to property.

On Sept. 1, a deputy with the Custer County Sheriff’s Office was told that a man, identified as Green, was leaving a cabin in the Mosquito Flats lake area and was trespassing, while drunk.

According to court documents, a “highly visible ‘NO TRESPASSING’ sign is posted on the fence directly to the right of the entry gate that is kept shut, as the land owner keeps cows on the property.”

Green reportedly tried to get into the cabin, and the reporting party asked him to identify himself and state why he was there. Green started belligerently cursing and “was verbally aggressive towards “the reporting party.”

After this, Green allegedly went to his car to get a set of bolt cutters to get into the cabin. He reportedly stopped halfway back to the cabin, returned to his car and put the bolt cutters back.

According to court documents, Green “stumbled around to the driver’s side of the vehicle and attempted to get in, but in the process, he stumbled, falling and hit his head, causing injury to his ear and subsequent injury to his skull.”

Green sat up and told the reporting party he was hurt and needed help.

The reporting party says he tried to help with a personal medical kit, but Green began refusing his help.

According to police reports, Green then went toward a bag of charcoal briquettes, took them, and moved toward the cabin before trying to open a bottle of lighter fluid to set the cabin on fire.

Green allegedly stated, “I’m going to burn this son of a b**** motherf***** to the ground!” before failing to open the bottle of lighter fluid, becoming angry and throwing the lighter fluid toward an electric fence.

He then scattered the bag of briquettes at the base of the cabin, got back in his car and drove away.

As he drove off, Green reportedly drove through the “high tensile single strand hot wire on his way out, knocking down a newly installed T-post.”

According to court documents, “The wire snagged on his bumper hitch and dragged a stretch of the wire behind him to his own home.”

In the process, he drove at a “high rate of speed, nearly hitting two cows.”

At this point, the deputy contacted Green’s probation officer, who said he was on felony and misdemeanor probation.

When police arrived at Green’s home, they saw his truck in the parking lot and found a “soft cooler bag containing at least six unopened beer cans on ice.”

When they knocked on the front door, a minor answered and then went to wake up Green.

The deputy told Green what he had done, and Green confirmed he had been in the Mosquito flats area but denied drinking any alcohol.

They then did a breathalyzer test, and the results showed that Green was over the legal limit for alcohol consumption.

Green was then arrested for a probation violation, but was taken to EIRMC for the injuries he got from falling and hitting his head.

Green was later booked into the Custer County Jail, where his bond was set to $100,000.

He appeared for an initial appearance on Monday, and further court hearings have yet to be scheduled. If convicted, he could face up to 35 years in prison.

Though Green has been charged with these crimes, it does not necessarily mean he committed them. Everyone is presumed innocent until they are proven guilty.

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