A Hammond man was sentenced Wednesday in a plea for lighting a gas pump on fire. No one was hurt.
Daviyon Brooks, 24, pleaded guilty Jan. 3 to Level 4 Felony Arson. Under the deal, his sentence was set — one year in jail, two years in Lake County Community Corrections and three years on probation.
Defense lawyer Robert Varga said Brooks had almost finished his jail term and was headed next to community corrections.
He asked Judge Samuel Cappas to accept the plea, noting Brooks had no criminal history and was working to address underlying causes of his behavior.
He expected Brooks to finish probation “without any issues.”
Brooks declined to speak in court.
Cappas told Brooks to follow the terms, or he would go back to jail.
“This is a good break for you,” he said.
Deputy Prosecutor Chris Bruno was assigned.
Police were called around 9 p.m. Sept. 8, 2022 to Speedway gas station, 6845 Calumet Ave. in Hammond, where an employee said a customer got his attention that gas pump #3 was on fire.
A witness told police she saw a man in a black hoodie, pants and a bandana come and spray an accelerant onto the pump, then set it on fire, before running back to a black Jeep driven by another man.
Security video showed the incident and police later subpoenaed the card the man used after buying $3.69 worth of gas just before the fire, charges allege.
The card was tied to Brooks, documents state. A search warrant for his cell phone revealed it was near the gas station at the time. He was also identified in a lineup, charges state.
mcolias@post-trib.com
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