Allegations of arson have been dropped against a Lyons man accused of burning down his neighbor’s home after the 2020 wildfires, though a related civil suit remains pending.
On Feb. 28, the Marion County District Attorney’s Office requested dismissal of charges against William “Dale” Hopson, 50, after prosecutors determined they could not achieve a conviction.
Hopson was charged after the home of his neighbors, Connie and Herman Frieden, burned down Sept. 9, 2020, along North Fork Road. This was just two days after the Beachie Creek and Lionshead fires devastated the region.
“In this case, it became clear that the state would not be able to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Dale Hopson committed the crime of arson, so it would have been unjust to continue the prosecution,” said Deputy District Attorney David Wilson.
