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Arson suspect remains jailed

By Kevin Jefferies

Hunt County – A Quinlan-area man will remain in jail in connection with an arson that involved his own grandchildren. James Ray Collard Jr. is being held on a dozen felony counts including arson, aggravated assault, and endangering a child. Collard has amassed over $285,000 in bonds.

He is held in connection with a June 27th fire west of Quinlan that threatened his wife and daughter-in-law. According to the criminal complaint filed in court, Collard and his wife were in an argument over junk cars on a property a short distance from where the fire occurred. Collard is alleged to have pointed a pistol at his wife and chased her to the home where his daughter-in-law was with her three children and four other children.

Collard demanded his wife come outside, and when she did not, he broke windows, poured gasoline in a bedroom, and set the residence on fire.

All nine people in the residence escaped without injury.