Man accused of arson is mentally ill, judge rules
A Sioux Falls man who admitted to setting a house on fire last year was mentally ill at the time, a judge on Tuesday ruled.
Judge Susan Sabers ruled that 23-year-old Jeremy James Larsen was, indeed, mentally ill when he set fire to the vacant home at 1004 S. Harrington Circle. Larsen pleaded guilty in January to reckless burning in the case, but his plea was vacated follow concerns about his mental health.
On Tuesday, Sabers heard testimony from four psychologists regarding Larsen’s mental health before making her ruling.
“The findings of the doctors and licensed professionals do convince me that within the meaning of South Dakota law, Mr. Larsen does suffer from mental illness,” Sabers said.
In January 2014, a neighbor of the home on Harrington Circle called police after noticing a suspicious car in the area. Officers found the car unoccupied at 18th Street and Cleveland Avenue, less than a block away from the fire.
Officers eventually spoke with Larsen. He initially denied any involvement in the fire, then later admitted to being at the residence earlier that day; he then claimed the fire was accidental.
He told police he jokingly splashed gasoline in the living room area, then flicked a cigarette toward the area, while drinking with friends. He said the area began smoldering but he thought it was extinguished when he left.
A sentencing date has yet to be set. Larsen is expected to plead guilty but mentally ill to three charges.
Larsen also is charged in a similar case almost a year later. In that case, he’s accused of threatening to burn down his former girlfriend’s home.
Officers pulled over a car driving near the victim’s home and found Larsen inside. Several containers of gasoline and matches also were found inside.
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