LOGAN — A 34-year-old Cedar City man has confessed to starting a fire in his mother’s house in the northeastern town of Nibley, amid other criminal charges.
Christopher L. Lescoe tearfully accepted a plea deal that could send him to prison.
Lescoe appeared in 1st District Court Monday morning. As part of the resolution agreement, he pleaded guilty to aggravated arson, a first-degree felony, and attempted violation of a protective order, a class A misdemeanor.
As part of the agreement, prosecutors dropped the remaining charges against him, under the condition that he pay restitution to his mother for crashing her car.
On March 3, Lescoe was involved in a hit-and-run crash in Logan while driving his mother’s vehicle. When his brother and mother confronted him about the crash, he became combative and barricaded himself inside her home.
While inside, Lescoe started the house on fire in an apparent attempt to take his life.
Deputies outside the home attempted to negotiate with Lescoe. They witnessed him moving furniture around and lighting the interior curtains on fire.
Lescoe eventually exited the home through the garage. He was treated by paramedics for smoke inhalation and a laceration to his arm. He was transported to the Mental Health Unit at Logan Regional Hospital for treatment and was later arrested.
During Monday’s court appearance, Cache County deputy attorney Spencer Walsh said it was lucky no one was hurt in the crash and house fire.
Written by WILL FEELRIGHT, Cache Valley Daily.