CRIME WRAP: Former employee allegedly burns company's trucks

By MATT THACKER
Matt.Thacker@newsandtribune.com

July 12, 2008 01:38 am

— A Floyds Knobs man allegedly confessed to starting a fire early Friday morning that destroyed two company trucks at Sprigler Concrete Inc.
Christal W. Keith, 44, apparently had a long-running feud with the company. He had been fired and rehired many times over the years, Floyd County Detective Jeff Firkins said.
Keith worked at the company until about a week ago, but again lost his job.
“He had altercations with (his boss) for the last few weeks but nothing to the level of arson,” Firkins said.
A man who answered the phone for Sprigler — which is located at 3421 Knobs Valley Drive in Floyds Knobs — said the company has no comment.
The fire and police departments were called to respond to reports of smoke at about 12:30 a.m. Friday. They found a broom truck and a box truck engulfed in flames.
Officers saw Keith walking down the street near where the fire had occurred and arrested him for public intoxication. Keith later confessed to the arson, Firkins said.
The trucks were valued at about $140,000, Firkins said.
Keith was charged with arson, a class B felony. If convicted, he faces six to 20 years in prison and up to a $10,000 fine.
Keith is being held in the Floyd County Jail awaiting his first court appearance.

New Albany man faces sexual-misconduct charges
A New Albany man was arrested Thursday after admitting to sexual intercourse with a 14-year-old boy, according to a probable-cause affidavit.
On July 2, a boy reported that Michael R. Devore, 27, offered to give him a ride on his moped. Devore took him behind the water pumping station on River Road in New Albany, the document states. There, the teenager allegedly allowed Devore to give him oral and anal sex.
The victim told police that he told Devore his age before the intercourse occurred. On Thursday, Devore confessed to detectives that the alleged acts had occurred, according to the affidavit.
Devore is being held in Floyd County Jail awaiting his first court appearance.