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Thursday, March 28, 2024

Unresponsive man arrested next to charred playground set at Ocala Farm Ministry

An unresponsive man was arrested after he was found lying next to a ministry’s playground set that was set on fire earlier.

The Ocala Farm Ministry’s play set was set on fire on Monday, June 14 and discovered by the chaplain, who also found an unresponsive man while searching the area, according to a report from the Marion County Sheriff’s office.

The chaplain and owner of the location said a large wooden play set, valued at $4,000 was set on fire. While looking through the area, the chaplain observed 39-year-old Richard Burton unconscious and unresponsive, according to the sheriff’s report.

The Marion County Fire Rescue 12 responded and found a lighter on Burton, the report stated.

Burton was transported to Advent Health and later denied any involvement with the fire, the report stated.

Burton was located on the same property where the play set was burned and a charred piece of wood from the set matched the same area Burton was found, the report stated.

Due to Burton being in the vicinity of the burned play set, a lighter being found and a matching piece of wood, he was arrested and transported to the Marion County Jail with a bond set at $4,000. He bonded out on June 16 and a court date is set for July 20 at 9 a.m., jail records show.