All persons accused of any crime are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

AMITE, La. (WGNO) — An Independence man has been arrested in connection with a large brush fire in Tangipahoa Parish.

The fire took place on Hano Road, off Highway 16, on Thursday, Aug. 24. Around 3:50 p.m., local fire departments began working on a brush fire that spread into a neighboring pine plantation owned by a local timber company.

LDAF forestry crews were able to control the fire by 8 p.m.

Later that day the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry’s (LDAF) forestry enforcement agents charged Ryan Miller, 41, with fire raising on the lands of another by criminal negligence and violation of the burn ban.

According to Miller’s confession, the fire started after he began burning trash on his property.

The fire destroyed approximately 172 acres.