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Arsonist Sentenced to Mental Health Court after Causing $300,000 in Damage

Times-News (Twin Falls, ID) - 9/1/2015

Sept. 01--TWIN FALLS -- A man who entered a neighbor's home with a can of diesel fuel, dumped it across the furniture and floor and lit the house on fire was sentenced to 10 years of probation Monday.

Jeremiah Levi Ash pleaded guilty July 6 to lighting the home of Dr. Richard Hammond on fire on March 4, causing more than $300,000 in damage.

Saturday, District Judge Randy Stoker sentenced Ash to ten years of probation and to Twin Falls County Mental Health Court. He will also have to pay for the damage to the home.

Hammond practices neurology in the area and raises bison on his property south of Hansen. Every one of his possessions in the home was either destroyed in the fire or collected as evidence, Hammond said.

"We no longer feel safe in our home," he said at the sentencing. "It just galls me that I have to carry a weapon on my property and in my home because I don't know when Mr. Ash will be back."

Ash has been on house arrest and living at his aunt's house near Hammond's home, but now that he's in mental health court, he will move to Twin Falls.

Prosecuting attorney Rosemary Emory asked the judge for a sentence of 10 to 25 years in prison, but said that due to no criminal history and a good military service record, Ash is a good candidate for mental health court.

Ash began to have trouble with his mental health in 2013 and has been in and out of the mental hospital, Emory said. Once medicated, Ash feels better and stops taking his medications, she said.

After the fire, many of Ash's family members spoke with police and described his mental health issues saying voices in his head told him to start the fire.

"One of the unfortunate aspects of the system that we have in the state of Idaho is that we do not have a very effective mental health component in the Idaho state penitently," Stoker said.

Ash's attorney, Steven McRae, agreed with the long underlying sentence and and said the threat of prison could keep Ash motivated and on his medication. Despite the seriousness of the crime, McRae said, Ash would be a good candidate for the specialty court and could demonstrate the good that can come out of the program.

"As far as me being a threat to him and his family," Ash said. "I want them to know I am not a threat and never will be again."

Stoker listened to the advice of both attorneys and sentenced Ash to probation, despite Hammond's request for a prison sentence.

"Dr. Hammond you're not going to like this court's decision today," Stoker said. "I understand that if I was in your situation I probably would have come up here and said the same things you did and worse."

As a condition of probation, Ash is not allowed to travel one mile south of 3700 North and he has seven days to find a house above that line.

"You are either going to get it or you won't. There are no second chances," Stoker said. "The nature of this offense is that I can not take a risk that you would ever do this again to somebody and I'm going to take a risk because I am going to put you on probation today. That is on me."

After the sentencing, Hammond said he understands the courts decision and said it was fair for Ash.

"My only problem is if he doesn't follow the terms of his probation it might not be known until something bad happens again," Hammond said.

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