A trial date has been set for a Sundre-area man facing several charges including arson.
Following an altercation early in January that left a home on a rural property near Sundre partially destroyed by fire and the female owner of the house fleeing to seek help from neighbours, Derek Littlejohn, 43, was formally charged with six criminal charges. They include arson causing damage to property occupied by other(s), criminal negligence ó reckless disregard for life, assault with weapon, forcible confinement and breach of probation.
Littlejohn first appeared in Didsbury provincial court on Monday, Jan. 11 for a show cause hearing, and the case was adjourned to Monday, Feb. 8. At that time, a trial date was set for Thursday, July 14.
On Thursday, Jan. 7 at about 9:30 p.m., emergency services received a report about a structural fire on a property northwest of Sundre on a rural residence in the Bearberry area along Secondary Highway 584, said police.
The home was engulfed in flames when emergency responders arrived at the scene. A police investigation determined that Littlejohn had doused the house with gasoline as well as a woman resident who was in the home.
The house caught fire after gasoline had been thrown on a wood-burning stove. The 45-year-old woman, who owns the home, managed to escape uninjured and fled to a neighbouring residence for safety. It was at that time the call to 911 was made. The man and the woman are known to one another, said RCMP.
Police later located Littlejohn near the scene following the incident and placed him under arrest.
