HAMILTON CO.— A suspected arsonist from Mt. Carmel has been charged in Hamilton County with Violation of an Order of Protection.
According to court documents, Rocky Lee Hoard, 31, of 128 Risley St., Mt. Carmel, violated the terms of a White County Plenary Order of Protection when he contacted Laura B. Coston by telephone.
At the time the charges were filed in Hamilton, Hoard was already serving a two-year conditional discharge sentence handed down March 6, 2014, out of White County for the same thing.
Hoard is also currently facing a charge of Aggravated Arson/Knowing People were Present, filed in Wabash County Feb. 22.
Wabash authorities say that on that date he is responsible for setting fire to a mobile home.
Mt. Carmel police say that Austin Wiggins, 30, woke at 3 a.m. Sunday morning to a glow coming from the living room of the mobile home he shared with his girlfriend Kristen Porter, 23.
Porter was uninjured but Wiggins suffered burns fighting the blaze with blankets.
Authorities say they believe the fire started after a gas can was tossed through one of the windows located in the living room of the mobile home.
Hoard’s criminal history in Wabash comes complete with a DUI conviction July 24, 2003 for which he was sentenced to two years court supervision and ordered to undergo alcohol treatment, for all the good it did if he actually followed through.
On January 27, 2005 he was convicted of DUI again earning a sentence of two years conditional discharge.
At this point it is unclear exactly where Hoard is headed, but it doesn’t look like it will be anywhere he has to worry about wondering off any time soon.
Hamilton County State’s Attorney Justin Hood, when questioned about Hoard’s recent seemingly-maniacal behavior, merely noted that the violation of OP case in Hamilton doesn’t relate to the Wabash County case in anyway.
“There are two separate victims who I do not believe are related to each other,” Hood said, noting that Hamilton’s victim is an ex-wife of Hoard’s.
Cash bond in the Hamilton County case has been set at $1,500.
Hoard is currently firmly ensconced in the Wabash County jail on a $50,000 cash bond.