Arrest warrant issued for man accused of burning 30 acres of Missouri grassland
HOLDEN, Mo. (KCTV) - A warrant has been issued for the arrest of a Holden man accused of starting more than half a dozen fires along a rural Missouri highway in 2024.
Johnson County, Missouri, Circuit Court records filed on Monday, June 9, indicate that William H. Sellars, 35, of Holden, has been charged in connection with the fires that burned dozens of acres of grassland.
A probable cause statement filed by the Johnson County Sheriff’s Office revealed that on March 29, 2024, emergency crews were called to the 4th and NW 131 Highway with reports of a vehicle towing a trailer that was on fire.
Deputies were advised that the driver of the vehicle was not stopping and continued to set several fires along the way. Witnesses reported that the driver of the pickup stopped and got out several times to look at the fires he was setting. Law enforcement officials spotted multiple blazes as they attempted to catch up.
Ultimately, investigators said they caught up with the driver, identified as Sellars, as he attempted to extinguish the fire on his trailer near NW 150 and NW 1051. He claimed he flicked a cigarette out the window, which caught a mattress on the trailer on fire.
The Johnson County Fire Protection District revealed that Sellars allegedly started 7 separate fires that burned about 30 total acres along several county roads.
Throughout the investigation, the Sheriff’s Office said it learned that Sellars had posted a video of the fires he set on Facebook with the caption, “Regular Day,” before he went to a victim’s house and threatened them.
As a result, Sellars has been charged with knowingly burning and causing property damage. If convicted, he could be sentenced to up to 11 years in prison and be ordered to pay a $20,000 fine.
Court documents indicated that a warrant for Sellars’ arrest was not issued until Tuesday, June 10, 2025. As of late Tuesday morning, he does not appear to be behind bars. A hearing has not yet been scheduled in the case. No further information has been released.
Copyright 2025 KCTV. All rights reserved.
