Man jailed on felony arson charge

A Tucumcari man landed in jail for several days on a felony arson charge after being accused of setting a fire that damaged a vacant home.

James J. Lucero, 26, was detained March 2 on a complaint of negligent arson, a fourth-degree felony that can lead up to 18 months in prison or up to a $5,000 fine. Negligent arson is described as recklessly starting a fire or causing an explosion that damaged or destroyed a building.

In a complaint filed March 4 in magistrate court, Tucumcari police officer Shaun Slate wrote he was sent to investigate a fire at a vacant home at 6:46 p.m. March 2. The address was redacted in the complaint, but a log of 911 calls to the Quay County Regional Communications Center shows a fire at that time occurred in the 900 block of East Center Street. A report by Tucumcari Fire Chief Doug Hogan also stated a fire occurred at that address at that time.

Slate stated a neighbor to the burned property pointed to a mobile home to the east and said a Hispanic man wearing pants with no shirt ran from the fire and into the mobile home.

Slate stated he and Tucumcari police officer Justin Garcia talked to Lucero in the mobile home and noted he matched the witness’ description. Slate stated Lucero had soot on his hands and was holding a black lighter. He stated he advised Lucero of his right to remain silent, but he agreed to talk to the officers.

“He said he started the fire … by using the black lighter to light some weeds behind the house,” Slate wrote. “Once the fire spread to a fire against the house and the house exterior siding, he ran to the other house. I asked him why he ran away and he said to get water from the hose. Lucero could not explain why he was in a bedroom of the house if he was outside retrieving the hose outside for the fire.”

Slate arrested Lucero and booked him into the Quay County Detention Center in Tucumcari that night. Lucero was released Wednesday.

Public defender Anna Aragon was appointed as his lawyer. Contacted by phone, Aragon said she didn’t have any information on the case and declined to comment.

Hogan stated in an email the fire was brought under control in less than 30 minutes by firefighters from Tucumcari, Logan and Rural District 1. He stated the vacant home sustained damage to its exterior walls, with minimal damage inside. No injuries were reported.