BEDFORD – On Thursday, October 20th, 2022, at approximately 10:53 p.m. a Lawrence County Sheriff’s Department deputy was en route to a 911 call hang up from Spring Mill State Park campgrounds when he noticed a fire in the 3000 block of Mitchell Road.
The fire was in the tree line just south of the Dollar General Store and there was a person sitting near the fire. The officer turned around and went back to investigate. When the officer arrived the fire had doubled in size and was spreading.
The male near the fire was 46-year-old Lincoln Allen. The officer told Allen to grab his belongings and move away from the fire. Bedford Fire Department was requested to the scene.
A few moments later an Indiana State Police trooper stopped and helped extinguish the fire with a fire extinguisher. The officer noted the trooper had to use the entire fire extinguisher to put out the blaze.
Bedford Fire Department arrived on the scene and was able to completely extinguish the fire.
Allen told police he had nowhere to stay and started the fire to stay warm. Allen said he “fell asleep and when he woke the fire started to get out of hand, so he tried pouring his drink on it, but that didn’t do anything”.
Allen admitted that he had recently consumed about a pint of Vodka.
Police say Allen was unsteady on his feet and his speech was low and slurred.
Allen submitted to a breathalyzer and blew a 0.255 blood alcohol content.
Police say due to Allen’s inebriated state he may not have gotten away from the fire in time. Police say the fire was also very close to the Dollar General store and could have spread to nearby buildings.
Allen was told to retrieve his belonging from the tree line and when he did he stumbled and almost fell down.
Allen told officers “he had no one to come get him and that all his family was dead”. Allen was transported to IU Health Hospital for a medical evaluation. After being cleared by hospital staff, Allen was transported to jail on a charge of public intoxication.
