Canyon Ferry Man Leo Croteau Charged With Felony Arson After March Fire

Leo Henry Croteau, a 43-year-old Canyon Ferry man, allegedly walked up to responding deputies at an active structure fire and told them he had started it, asking to be arrested on the spot. That alleged admission, drawn from court documents, now sits at the center of a felony arson case headed to State District Court next month.

Tri-Lakes Fire and the Lewis & Clark County Sheriff's Office were dispatched to the 8100 block of Mayflower Road near Canyon Ferry around 4:30 p.m. on March 27. Reports do not indicate injuries to civilians or first responders, though structure fires in residential areas can result in displacement and significant property loss. No details about the extent of damage to the structure have been made public.

Croteau was charged with felony arson. At his initial appearance in Justice Court on Monday, he asked that no bond be set and that he remain in custody. Judge Mark Piskolich rejected that request, telling Croteau that under the law he has a right to "reasonable" bond, and set the amount at $20,000.

Court filings also note that Croteau has been dealing with mental health concerns, details that surfaced both in documents and before the court at the hearing.

For prosecutors, proving felony arson in Montana requires establishing that the fire was set intentionally. The alleged on-scene admission, if it holds up, would represent significant evidence toward that threshold. The charge carries serious penalties, with the severity shaped by whether the fire endangered life or caused major property loss.

Croteau is scheduled for arraignment in State District Court on April 21. Investigators with Tri-Lakes Fire and the Lewis & Clark County Sheriff's Office are expected to continue assembling evidence ahead of that date, and anyone with information about the March 27 fire on Mayflower Road is asked to contact the Lewis & Clark County Sheriff's Office.