Firefighter charged in brush fire
By NATALEE SEELY nseely@newsandsentinel.com
POSTED: November 20, 2009
Article Photos
PARKERSBURG - A 19-year-old volunteer firefighter with Pond Creek Volunteer Fire Department was charged with arson Thursday after allegedly setting a brush fire in a field off California Ridge Road, near Belleville, early Tuesday afternoon.
David Keith Richards, 402 Toppins Grove, Murraysville, lit a pile of trash on fire with motor oil in a field near California Ridge Road and the fire spread several feet into the grass, said Lt. Shawn Graham with Wood County Sheriff's Office.
Richards called 911 after setting the fire, officials said.
When questioned by Graham and Assistant State Fire Marshal Brad Hartley, Richards confessed to setting the fire deliberately to give his fire department something to do, said Graham.
Pond Creek Volunteer Fire Chief Kevin Rhodes said he believed the brush fire burned about three square feet. Pond Creek Volunteer Fire Department officials did not respond to the brush fire Tuesday and did not know many details about the incident, he said.
Richards was arraigned before Wood County Magistrate Donna Jackson at 10 p.m. Thursday and released on $25,000 bond.
Member Comments
View Comments: | 1-16 | Post a comment
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yourstruly
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11-22-09 8:25 PM
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Rhodes: I liked the way you used the words "Any Uneducated fool can pass a test" I am sure thats how your husband got his job. The Sherriff can't even control his department. What would make you think he would be able to fix a problem that theres no cash or glory in it for him. Next thing you know Minks from OH will be stamping out crime in his VFD's.
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yolarry
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11-22-09 12:28 AM
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Its so boring..I think I should start a fire. /sarcasm This guy is FOOL. Lets all point and laugh
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yolarry
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11-22-09 12:28 AM
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Its so boring..I think I should start a fire. /sarcasm This guy is FOOL. Lets all point and lugah
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Rhodes
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11-21-09 10:00 PM
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Ok maybe I'm being to critical of all the firefighters that work for Pond Creek,and I apologize for any offense I may have caused you and to the firefighters who do take their job seriously.I personally know a few of the firefighters and think they are complete wastes as well as their spouses.I personally think that yes there is good firefighters and bad but when one or two act and throw their credentials around and allow there wife's to throw there credentials around this makes the whole department look bad. I am married to a officer of many years and his job is a challenge and Iv laid awake at night worried to death so yes I know how the family's feel.I did not mean to cause offense or shame to the department I'm sure there is good firefighters at Pond Creek and to the ones who do there jobs KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK.I just want you to understand you have a couple of them that are wastes alone with there wife's and I should not have taken that out on the whole department.Please respond
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Mac5858
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11-21-09 6:02 PM
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Rhodes, wow, talk about ignorance. Your comments are written so poorly that it is a chore just to read and comprehend what you mean. The truth is that department is hosting a soup dinner tonight so that they can continue to operate instead of passing the cost burden on to the citizens much like you. If the state and local governments provided enough funding to these individuals who volunteer their time then this event wouldn't be necessary and they could be training right now. All I can say is I hope you never need any of these individuals, I'm sure many more people share the opposite opinion than what you have, otherwise, they would be demanding a government supported "professional" agency to be created and higher taxes to support it. Right now tax dollars are fully funding approximately 30% of firefighters. What do you think the cost might be to fund the other 70%? Until you’ve done what they do then you can’t say a word. Is your husband a police officer or FD offi
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Rhodes
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11-21-09 1:00 PM
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I would not say I'm anything but speaking the truth to the comment above, and yes Im married to a officer who risks his life everyday so let me tell you something If you have a problem such as this nine times out of ten the department or others in it knew something. I think that you need to look at the time spent at your soup dinner tonight that could be used training your firefighters how not to act pathetic. All wait you and others don't think of the inner circle screams that go on in all public departments. This is not a risk your life community and any uneducated fool could pass the exam so go to a real state and check out their training and tell me then if you think they aren't uneducated. A officer is what makes are city work and does their clean up in this town. Go eat your nasty soup dinner and look around that could be training time instead of ingesting calorie time for individuals who don't need it. You apparently have no broad view of your surroundings. So there's ignorance
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Rhodes
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11-20-09 6:17 PM
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That's Pond Creek Fire Department for you. Most are untrained and fat and uneducated. If they focused more on there firefighting duties and less on there party throwing for Pond Creek members maybe they would know what kind of freaks they are hiring.That WHOLE DEPARTMENT IS A JOKE. The sheriffs office should investigate more into other firefighters but wont since this is were the new sheriff frequents. Watch and see.
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AaronL
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11-20-09 2:43 PM
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painter, the caption has changed: this morning at 6:20, it DID read that Graham was there.
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painter
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11-20-09 11:23 AM
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Hey Geezer read the article under the picture It is Deputy Rick George.I think you need some glasses.Why dont you read the article first before you post a comment.
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WestByGod
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11-20-09 11:12 AM
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this kid is a fool
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Yellowjacket26187
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11-20-09 8:10 AM
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Three square feet??? Now much at all. But it's still a crime to set a fire. lock him up. Sorry for the entire Pond Creek VFD. This will pass and you will survive.
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Geezer
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11-20-09 5:20 AM
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That doesn't look like Lt Graham in the photo, either.
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Geezer
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11-20-09 5:19 AM
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The second to last paragraph is a classic. How would the guy who didn't respond to the fire know how much area it covered?
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CrazyJohn
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11-20-09 3:22 AM
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yourstruly, if it had been a windy day with the recent dry weather, the fire could have gotten out of control quickly. luckily it didn't. Do you know the area if there are houses nearby? If so, a lot of damage and maybe injury or death could have occured, not to mention the firefighters that may have had to respond that could have been injured. Just because it was only 3 square feet, the intent was still there, it could have been much worse. It is still a crime and he should be charged as such. Plus, it puts a black eye on the volunteers as a whole when the public reads about these events. Without volunteer firefighters, our county would be screwed. This type of incident may keep someone considering donating their time as a fireman to change their mind. All around a bad situation, glad it wasn't worse.
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yourstruly
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11-20-09 1:10 AM
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What makes this man a thug? He did not set out to hurt anyone. There were ton's of people taking up for that Whitehead, and he was charged with a misdemeaner and a small fine. As a whole voulnteers are decent people. But I know first hand there are some in just for the light's and the title. He made a mistake and is charged with a felony. 25,000 dollars bond. Just goes to show It's not who you know. 3 sq feet. essentially the size of my neighbors butt.
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Finders
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11-20-09 12:36 AM
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One Young Thug who has chosen a path of Lawlessness should not put a black eye on volunteers as a whole.Thank God we have the voulnteers to protect our familys and property. The justice system will deal with him for his crime against society.
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