By Austin Rust-
A former volunteer of the Manchester Fire Department, Dakotah Mingee, was arrested Sunday, Sept. 29, in connection with a fire that occurred the same day in a vacant building at 1776 Island Creek Road. No one was hurt in the fire, but the building was destroyed. In the Adams County Court Monday, Sept. 30, Mingee plead no contest to one count of fourth-degree arson. Bond was set at $25,000. Mingee posted 10 percent of this bond, and was released with two conditions: that he remain at his given address at all times except for work, meetings with his attorney, or a medical emergency, and that he must return to court for a preliminary hearing.
Mingee returned to court on Thursday, October 10. Due to potential discovery issues involved with the case, and the possibility that additional charges may yet be filed, the counsel asked to sign a waiver requesting that the preliminary hearing be continued at a later date within the next 30 days or so. Adams County Court Judge Roy Gabbert, presiding over the case, explained to the defendant, Mr. Mingee, that he had the right to a preliminary hearing to determine whether or not there was probable cause that a felony had been committed. Before proceeding with the waiver, Judge Gabbert asked Mr. Mingee to confirm he understood that signing it would not waive his right to a preliminary hearing; instead, it would waive the requirement for a preliminary hearing to occur within a 10 court-day period of arraignment, meaning it would not occur that day.
The waiver was brought to Mr. Mingee by the bailiff. After a short period of review, the waiver was signed and returned. The preliminary hearing was then set for Thursday, Nov. 21 at 1 p.m. Judge Gabbert explained that Mr. Mingee’s bond money posted would continue to be held in the court fund to ensure his next appearance, and that there are three conditions to the bond: first, Mr. Mingee must return to court for the preliminary hearing on Nov. 21; second, Mr. Mingee must remain at his given address at all times except for work, meetings with his attorney, court appointments, or a medical emergency; and third, that Mr. Mingee will have no contact with co-offenders in this case, which includes at least one juvenile suspect.
Mingee is 19 years old. He joined the Manchester Fire Department in January of 2016 through its Cadet Program, and graduated from Manchester High School in 2018. He currently resides in Maysville, Ky. According to recent reports, Mingee and the suspected co-offenders in this case may be connected to other fires in Manchester which occurred earlier this year.
Upon hearing of his connection to the fire on Sept. 29 and his no contest plea to arson, Manchester Fire Chief Rick Bowman immediately terminated Mingee’s employment with the Manchester Fire Department.
