Grand Jury Returns June Indictments
The Macon County Grand Jury met for the June session last week and returned a number of indictments, which included sixty-five true bills, nine no true, four hold, and twelve sealed.
During the session Joshua A. Archer was indicted for aggravated arson, theft of services, vandalism, unlawful possession of a weapon, reckless endangerment-deadly weapon involved, and violation of order of protection/restraining order. These charges stem from the Lafayette Police Department’s investigation of a mobile home explosion at 718 Brattontown Circle on Friday, October 23, 2015. When LPD Officer Shane Reed responded to this scene the Lafayette Fire Department was already there and it was reported that someone was sitting up on the hill with a gun. Reed said that he could see the subject from the road but couldn’t see anything in his hand. According to Reed, when he approached the male subject sitting on the hill he realized it was Joshua Archer and he appeared to be burnt from the fire. Reed said when he got within 30 feet of him, Archer reached down and picked up a firearm and stuck it up under his chin and told him to get back or he would pull the trigger. The officer said he had his firearm drawn on Archer and slowly moved back to a safe distance. After an hour or so of negotiating Archer eventually surrendered his gun. During the investigation it was learned that Archer had illegally ran a hose pipe from the outside gas line into the residence. Archer told officers that he attempted to light a cigarette and when the lighter sparked it blew up. He sustained serious burns over his body. He was released from the Vanderbilt Burn Unit in February of 2016.
