A White Hall man accused of aggravated arson in August of last year had a case against him dismissed on Wednesday.
46-year old Andy J. VanMeter had charges of Class X felony aggravated arson and Class 2 felony arson of property less than $150 dismissed with leave to reinstate on Wednesday. According to charging documents in the case, VanMeter was accused of purposely setting fire to a shed adjacent to a house at 527 Porter Street in White Hall on August 19, 2023.
In email communication with WLDS News yesterday, Greene County State’s Attorney Caleb Briscoe says that the White Hall Police Department and his office lost contact with a chief witness in the case and was unable to proceed further without their testimony: “My office worked with agencies in Illinois and Iowa trying to find this person beginning months ago, we have yet to be successful. The state had to continue the case from the last jury trial setting because we couldn’t find this person. The court would not allow us to do that indefinitely, and as it sits today, I cannot determine when this person will be found. Forced with the option of moving forward believing we couldn’t prove the charge, or dismissing the charge with the ability to refile once we find the necessary witness and be able to put the best case forward, I choose the latter. Chief [Luke] Coultas, the White Hall Police Department, and I will continue to work diligently in the pursuit of justice in this case.”
VanMeter faced between 6 to 30 years in prison on the aggravated arson charge and 3-7 years on the class 2 felony arson charge.