Homeless man starts fire to chase snakes from camp

[thundley4]

A homeless man was arrested on a charge of reckless use of fire Sunday night after allegedly setting fire to his camp in the woods south of downtown Des Moines.

Gerald Raymond Collett, 46, is being held in the Polk County Jail this morning on $300 bond.

Police said Collett admitted starting the fire. "He was trying to get snakes out of his homeless camp by pouring gasoline in his camp and igniting it," they said in a report.


Collett was alone in the camp near Southwest 11th and Tuttle streets when he started the fire, according to police. Firefighters put it out.

Officers said Collett had a homemade gun and ammunition for it, which exploded in the fire.

No injuries were reported.

  Iowa

 

[Gratiot]

Well it's now well understood, why he was homeless.