by T. Scott Boatright
Violating a burn ban within city limits has led to a Ruston man being jailed facing multiple charges.
A Ruston Police Department patrol unit driving near a semi-wooded area around 604 Martin Luther King Jr. Drive Monday afternoon observed smoke in the area and stopped to investigate.
After making contact with Dantavious R. Holland of Newman Street in Ruston, an RPD officer reported Holland told him he had ignited the fire to repel mosquitoes.
Further investigation revealed Holland did not own the property on which the fire had been set and that the actual owner of the property requested Holland be prosecuted for trespassing.
Holland’s arrest affidavit says he was brought to the patrol unit where he voluntarily surrendered a small, clear plastic bag containing suspected marijuana/synthetic cannabinoids from a pocket of his shorts.
The officer noted that Holland was also wearing a backpack and a search of that revealed a semi-automatic handgun inside of it.
Holland’s arrest affidavit says that a criminal history check done on him showed him to be a convicted felon in the state of Louisiana and that he is currently on parole.
Charges Holland is facing include open burning; criminal trespassing; simple possession of marijuana/synthetic cannabinoids; illegal carrying of a firearm; possession of a firearm by a convicted felon; and FTA for entering or remaining after being forbidden.
Bond for Holland was set at $43,000.
