Published: November 16, 2009 10:58 pm         

Plea deal reached in arson case

TERRE HAUTE — A plea agreement has been reached for a man accused of arson in a May 7 incident.

Candelario Ixba, 27, was released from the Vigo County jail on Monday after pleading guilty to criminal mischief and driving while intoxicated in Vigo Superior Court Division 1.

He received a sentence of 366 days in jail for the class-D felony criminal mischief charge, and a one-year sentence for the drunk driving misdemeanor, with both terms to be served at the same time. Ixba had already served 183 days in jail as of Monday, so with good-behavior credit figured in, Judge Michael Eldred credited Ixba with a served sentence.

Terre Haute Police arrested Ixba after he allegedly wrecked a Dodge Durango adjacent to a house on Helen Avenue and left the scene. Fire investigators ruled that arson was the source of a fire that began in the passenger compartment of the vehicle that also damaged the house, and Ixba was originally charged with class-B felony arson in the case. That charge was reduced to criminal mischief.

The plea agreement also requires Ixba to pay restitution as determined by the county probation department.