Jerry Ray Gerard, 54, Minot, is accused of setting a fire in the back of a pickup truck in the back yard of a home in Ward County at 3:06 a.m. Saturday.

Four people were in the residence at the time.

Gerard is charged in district court in Minot with Class B felony criminal mischief and Class C felony endangering by fire.

According to a probable cause affidavit filed with the court, the people in the residence were known to Gerard.

When they arrived, police saw fire over the roof of the residence. They drove to the back of the residence and found a pickup truck with a large fire in the bed of the truck and two males trying to put out the fire. The truck belonged to one of the males at the residence and was valued at over $14,000. The man heard a loud noise at 3 a.m. and went out to see what the noise was and found his truck on fire in the driveway. Also destroyed were tools and other items that had been in the back of the pickup truck.

One of the males at the house told police they saw Gerard driving away from the residence in his golf cart at a high rate of speed right after the explosion.

A woman at the house said Gerard had been making threats against her and her new boyfriend.

Security cameras at a neighbor’s residence captured someone lighting a fire in the truck just prior to the explosion.

Police went to Gerard’s residence and found a golf cart outside. Next to the golf cart was a red funnel with liquid on it, empty gas cans and a rag on the ground near the golf cart.

Gerard was located inside his residence and placed under arrest.