KINGMAN, Ariz. – A man charged with setting fire inside the bathroom of a Kingman sandwich shop has entered a plea agreement in a bid to resolve his criminal case. Police suspect Ryan Hardy, 32, was impaired when he lit toilet paper and paper towels on fire in the Jimmy John’s restroom on Jan. 24.
“Upon arrival officers learned that the male subject had locked himself in the bathroom,” Deputy Police Chief Joel Freed said, in a news release. “While approaching the bathroom, officers could smell smoke and saw smoke coming from under the door.”
Deputy Mohave County attorney Rod Albright said as officers gained entry into the restroom, Hardy was trying to flush burning papers in a toilet, enclosed within a stall. He said the toilet seat was burned.
Police said a wall and the ceiling also sustained minor damage. No one was hurt in the incident.
Hardy pleaded guilty to arson of an occupied structure as people were inside the business when the incident occurred at about 9:30 p.m.
Hardy is eligible for probation, but he could also get up to 3.5 years in prison when sentenced Nov. 10. He’ll be responsible for restitution and is forever trespassed from the eatery in the 3400 block of Stockton Hill Road.
