Ashdown Man Arrested on Attempted Capital Murder and Arson Charges

An Ashdown man is in custody after authorities say he intentionally set a residential fire in Magnolia earlier this month.

According to the Magnolia Police Department, the fire was reported around 3 a.m. on July 4 at a home on West Street. Investigators determined the fire was suspicious and launched an arson investigation.

Police said the investigation indicated the fire stemmed from a domestic altercation, and 32-year-old James Hoag of Ashdown was identified as the suspect. Authorities obtained an arrest warrant charging Hoag with four counts of attempted capital murder, arson, and intimidating a witness.

Hoag was arrested on July 18 in Williamson County, Illinois, by the Williamson County Sheriff’s Office. He was extradited to Magnolia and booked into the Columbia County Jail on Tuesday.

The investigation remains ongoing. The charges are allegations, and Hoag is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.