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Armed man accused of threatening to burn down house he shares with ex-girlfriend arrested after standoff: HCSO

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Published  October 25, 2024 11:59am EDT
Hernando County
FOX 13 News

SPRING HILL, Fla. - A standoff in Hernando County ended with a jilted ex-boyfriend in handcuffs. 

According to the Hernando County Sheriff’s Office, a woman dialed 911 shortly after 3 a.m. on Wednesday saying that her ex-boyfriend, Jack French, called her threatening to burn down the home they shared on Riddle Drive in Spring Hill. 

The victim told detectives that French was upset over their recent breakup and texted her photos of gas cans. 

Deputies who went to the home said they saw French, a convicted felon, standing outside, loading firearms into a vehicle. 

When deputies tried to talk to him, they said he grabbed a rifle and another gun and ran back inside the home. 

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The deputies used a cellphone to speak with French and said that he made several suicidal statements. 

At one point, the deputies reported hearing the sound of a gun going off. 

Jack French mugshot courtesy of the Hernando County Sheriff's Office.

Jack French mugshot courtesy of the Hernando County Sheriff's Office. 

French told deputies that he accidentally fired a shot as he was opening a door.

French walked out of the home shortly before 8 a.m. and was arrested. 

He told deputies that he was upset over the breakup with his girlfriend. 

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He went on to say that he poured gasoline on the floor of the home, but never tried to set it on fire. 

Deputies said they found a 5-gallon gas container, 11 firearms, and more than 1,000 rounds of various calibers of ammunition inside the home. 

French was arrested and charged with possession of a firearm by a felon and attempted arson. 

Anyone with information on this case is asked to call Hernando County Crime Stoppers at 1-866-990-8477 or **TIPS from a cellphone. Tipsters will remain anonymous and may be eligible for a cash reward. 

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