Monday, April 19, 2010
Leoma Man Cited After Burning Neighbor’s Yard
A Leoma man was issued citations last week after he ignited an unsanctioned fire that burned his neighbor’s yard.
Lawrence County Sheriff’s Deputies were summoned to the home of the neighbor shortly before 10:00 p.m. on April 14. The resident reported she had noticed neighbor Steven James Clifton, 25, setting a fire on his property early in the day.
At around 5:00 p.m., she noticed Clifton standing near the border of her property with a rake in-hand. She told deputies he was attempting to prevent the fire from moving onto her property.
It was not until around 9:45 p.m., she said, that she noticed her back yard was on fire and called 911.
Reports show that deputies spoke with Clifton shortly afterwards. He explained that he had started a fire in a pile of leaves earlier that had gotten out of control.
He indicated he had not obtained a burn permit from the local Tennessee Forestry Division. He had contacted Lawrence Central Dispatch earlier in an attempt to do so, he said, but was informed that the forestry office had closed for the day.
He told deputies that he had made attempts to keep the fire from spreading onto adjacent properties. By around 8:00 p.m. he said he had believed the fire was out, so he went inside and “didn’t think any more about it.”
Deputies issued citations to Clifton on charges of reckless burning and setting a fire without a permit. He is scheduled to answer the charges in Lawrence County General Sessions Court on May 10, 2010.
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