801 Crockett Street, Shreveport, Louisiana 71101
318/ 673-6655 ● FAX: 318/ 673-6656 ● www.shreveportfire.org

Kelvin J. Cochran, Fire Chief

May 9,2002

PRESS RELEASE
To: Newsroom
For Immediate Release
Contact: Brian A. Crawford, Public Information Officer
Phone: 673-6652, cell: 455-2609, page: 675-2137

Arson Task Force Flexes Muscle

A conviction and two arrests pace week for fire investigators

Shreveport Fire Department arson investigators are often the behind the scenes people when it comes to fire department operations but over the last week they have been flexing their muscle. In the last 10 days, the investigators have gotten one arson conviction and made two arrests. The conviction came on Monday, when 27-year-old Brian Johnson of Shreveport plead guilty to simple arson for a March 2001 fire in the 6100 block of Willard Street. Johnson was sentenced in Caddo District Court and received 2 years hard labor. Investigators had originally charged Johnson with aggravated arson after he ignited a flammable liquid close to a house with an apparent attempt to do harm to the occupants.

Arrested for "placing combustibles" was Darrell Manning, 37, of Shreveport. According to investigators, Manning poured gasoline on and around a house in the 400 block of College on April 29, 2002, with the intent to ignite the fuel. Shreveport Police were able to detain Manning before the ignition of the gasoline. The Fire Department’s accelerant detecting K-9 alerted (found evidence of a combustible fuel) on Manning. Manning was charged with placing combustibles, which carries the same charge as simple arson: 2-15 years in jail and up to a $15,000 fine. The motive was said to be domestic in nature.

In another arrest, arson investigators apprehended Daryl Kissie, 35, of Shreveport this morning just after 5:00 a.m. and charged him with simple arson relating to a domestic dispute. Kissie is accused of setting a 2001 Mazda MPV minivan, at 321 Ellerbe Ridge, on fire early this morning. Once again, fire investigators used the department’s K-9 to alert that a petroleum accelerant had been poured over the car to start the fire. Later, when fire investigators located Kissie in the 4100 block of Booker T Street, the dog also alerted to Kissie. Kissie was arrested and booked into city jail on charges of simple arson. ###