• By FLORIDA PARISHES BUREAU
• Published: Dec 30, 2009

• Print
• Email
• Save
• Reprints
• Twitter
• Share

• Del.icio.us
• Digg
• Facebook
• Reddit
• 

LIVINGSTON — Two men face prosecution in connection with a pair of unrelated cases of arson against their estranged partners, the Livingston Parish Sheriff’s Office reported Tuesday.

In one of the incidents, deputies and agents with the state Fire Marshal’s Office arrested John M. Ballard, 18, 17075 Lisa Drive, Livingston, on Monday, the Sheriff’s Office said in a news release.

Ballard is accused of setting fire to his estranged girlfriend’s mobile home late Thursday night, deputies said.

Firefighters from Livingston Parish Fire Protection District No. 4 responded to the blaze in the unoccupied mobile home, deputies said.

The dispute between Ballard and his ex-girlfriend appears to be over child visitation privileges, deputies said. The defendant also allegedly stole a vehicle to commit the crime and had marijuana on him during his arrest, deputies said.

Ballard was booked into the Livingston Parish Detention Center on counts of simple arson, unauthorized use of a moveable, possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia, deputies said.

In the other arson case, the Sheriff’s Special Response Team arrested Ricky Neal Boone, 50, 32163 Patti Ann Drive, Denham Springs, on Dec. 21 in an investigation of an alleged attempt by Boone to set fire to his estranged wife’s home that day, deputies said.

An alarm at the house alerted its occupants to the fire and they quickly extinguished it with a garden hose, deputies said.

In between the fire on Dec. 19 and his arrest on Dec. 21, Boone allegedly made threatening phone calls to his wife, which violated a protection order that bars him from contacting her, deputies said.

Boone fled into a mobile home on Arnold Road in Denham Springs when deputies arrived to arrest him, deputies said. The Sheriff’s Special Response Team was called in to assist, and Boone surrendered after a brief standoff, deputies said.

Boone was booked into the parish jail on counts of aggravated arson, unauthorized entry of an inhabited dwelling, aggravated assault, violation of a protective order and improper telephone communications, deputies said.