LITTLE ROCK — A Ward man is suspected of setting a fire that destroyed a residence, camping trailer and tractor after a dispute over hunting.
Clayton W. Ainsworth, 37, was arrested Monday on a charge of arson stemming from the Sept. 12 fire, which caused more than $40,000 in damage at 343 Butlerville Road in Ward.
Lonoke County Sheriff's Office Lt. Jim Kulesa said the owner had asked Ainsworth and others to stop hunting on his property after finding deer stands and learning they were doing so without his permission.
Authorities believe Ainsworth set the blaze in retaliation for being asked to stop hunting.
"That’s what sparked it off," Kulesa said.
The property owner told investigators of the dispute after the fire. Kulesa said interviews with other sources then led to a warrant being issued for Ainsworth. An additional arrest is possible, Kulesa said.
Ainsworth is being held in the Lonoke County Detention Facility. Bond has not been set.