Colorado judge maintains charges for Dane accused in fire

DENVER (AP) -- A judge has decided against dropping criminal charges against a mentally ill Danish man accused of starting a large Colorado wildfire in 2018 that burned 149 homes.

The decision came Friday after a prosecutor said Jesper Joergensen wouldn't be deported if released from jail because of Biden administration changes to immigration policy.

Fearing Joergensen could pose a danger to the public if freed, Judge Gregory Lyman instead ordered him to be sent to the state mental health hospital for evaluation.

The judge wants to know if a doctor there might recommend that Joergensen be forcibly medicated to treat a delusional disorder so he could be brought to trial.

In 2018, Joergensen initially told deputies he was burning trash in the Forbes Park neighborhood. However, he changed his story, saying he didn’t know how the fire started, according to arrest papers.