By Conrad Dudderar
Senior Staff Writer
A Yukon-area man has been charged with a felony for allegedly setting fires and breaking windows in a local hotel room.
Henry Joseph Adams, 61, was charged July 27 in Canadian County District Court with first-degree arson and malicious injury to property.
Adams, whose address is in the 10300 block of Fairfax Lane, faces up to 36 years in jail and/or fines totaling $25,500 if convicted on both counts.
Prosecutors allege Adams committed the crimes on July 19 at the LaQuinta Inn & Suites by Wyndham, 11500 W Interstate 40 (at Mustang Road).
The defendant “willfully and maliciously set fire to the contents of his hotel room … while the said room was occupied,” according to court documents.
Adams also allegedly maliciously destroyed windows and a mirror in the hotel room.
Oklahoma City fire and police personnel responded to the scene because motel patrons “requested police as a result of a man yelling and breaking things inside this room,” according to a probable cause affidavit signed by Oklahoma City Police Maj. Ronnie Barbee.
Police officers tried to get Davis to open the door – but he refused, according to the court affidavit.
When firefighters arrived, Adams was still locked inside his hotel room.
“Firefighters smelled smoke, but the subject refused to open the door to let them in,” Oklahoma City Fire Battalion Chief Benny A. Fulkerson said.
Firefighters saw the man through a hotel room window. They couldn’t see smoke but noticed a faint smoke odor.
TWO SMALL FIRES FOUND
Adams still allegedly refused to open the window or door.
“The subject then used a rod and broke out the window and then began to stick his head out of the window near the broken glass,” Fulkerson reported. “For the safety of the subject, firefighters then entered through the broken window despite having the rod swung at them.”
Once inside the hotel room, Oklahoma City firefighters opened the doors and extinguished smoldering materials while police restrained the occupant.
“There was evidence of two small set fires within the room and a cigarette lighter found on the floor nearby,” according to Maj. Barbee’s affidavit. “(Suspect) Adams was the only person within this room.”
Fire investigators were called to the scene after Adams was arrested. Both fire and police noted damage to the windows, mirrors and other items.
The criminal case against Adams has been assigned to Canadian County District Judge Paul Hesse.
The first-degree arson count is a felony punishable by a maximum $25,000 fine and/or up to 35 years in prison.
The malicious injury to property count is a misdemeanor punishable by a maximum $500 fine and/or up to one year in the county jail.
