Intoxicated Tyler man sets wife’s vehicle on fire

SMITH COUNTY — A Tyler man has been charged with arson after reportedly setting his wife’s car on fire while intoxicated, according to our news partners at KETK. Smith County officials said the county’s fire marshal Chad Hogue was called to an RV park on Aug. 16 in the 8500 block of FM 14 to a vehicle on fire. When Smith County ESD2 officials arrived, they noted Justin Kennedy Hillard, 36 of Tyler, was spraying water from a garden hose on the vehicle that was on fire. The owner of the vehicle said her husband, Hillard, was intoxicated and had poured gas onto her vehicle but she was able to get out of the car before he set it on fire. “Hogue reported that damages to the car were consistent with the vehicle being set on fire after gasoline was poured onto it,” Smith County officials said. Hillard reportedly fled the scene and an arrest warrant was issued on Tuesday and he turned himself on Wednesday.