Suspect in fire receives probation

A large concrete foundation sat at the end of a quiet Henderson cul-de-sac Wednesday, the only physical reminder of frightening events that occurred in the neighborhood two years ago.

On Oct. 15, 2010, residents of Hyssop Court, not far from Heritage Park and Racetrack Road, smelled smoke and heard a man yelling from inside a burning, two-story house near the street's dead end.

Police soon evacuated nearby homes as negotiators talked to the man, who told dispatch he would shoot any officers who came to his home.

SWAT officers eventually found the man, who was taken to a hospital for treatment of self-inflicted wounds. Police said Chad Kreiser was upset over his pending divorce and set fire to the home at 265 Hyssop Court, where his estranged wife and their children lived. The woman and children were not home at the time.

Kreiser was charged with burglary and first-degree arson, but in June he reached a plea agreement with prosecutors. He pleaded guilty to intimidating a public officer, a felony, and malicious destruction of property, a gross misdemeanor.

He entered a type of guilty plea that required him to admit only that prosecutors could prove their case against him.

Deputy District Attorney Alexander Chen said he and other prosecutors reviewed the case before offering Kreiser the plea bargain.

"Based on what we would have been able to present, we decided that this was the best course of action," Chen said, noting that Kreiser, who had no criminal record, always denied starting the fire.

On Tuesday, District Judge Michelle Leavitt honored terms of the plea agreement when she sentenced Kreiser to up to five years of probation. She placed strict conditions on his probation, saying, "He's not to be in that area anymore."

Leavitt ordered Kreiser to pay nearly $44,000 in restitution.

Kreiser's lawyer, Michael Aisen, said disputes existed between the state's investigation and the defense investigation as to the cause and origin of the fire. He said the defense investigation showed Kreiser "did not start the fire intentionally."

An arson conviction would have guaranteed prison time for Kreiser. It carries a minimum penalty of two years and a maximum penalty of 15 years.

Under the plea agreement, Kreiser will be allowed to withdraw his guilty plea to a felony charge of intimidating a public officer if he completes probation.

According to the Clark County assessor's office website, Chad and Lori Kreiser own the property at 265 Hyssop Court, which they bought in June 2008 for $370,000. The fire-damaged home was recently razed, leaving only the foundation.

Court records show Chad and Lori Kreiser filed for divorce in June 2010, with a divorce decree entered in August 2011.

Contact reporter Carri Geer Thevenot at cgeer@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0264.