Kody Derner has pleaded guilty in Lavaca County to one count of felony vehicle arson and admitted to starting six hay bale fires dating back to 2024. The plea was entered on August 12, 2025.
Derner was arrested by the Hallettsville Police Department in April 2025. The Lavaca County Attorney’s Office charged him with the felonies in June following an investigation by the State Fire Marshal’s Office (SFMO) into two vehicle fires and a storage building fire at a hotel in Hallettsville. Authorities used cell phone and geolocation data from Derner as evidence linking him to these incidents and other hay bale fires.
He received a four-year prison sentence and is required to pay more than $24,000 in restitution to the victims. Another arson case involving Derner remains pending in Harris County.
The City of Humble Fire Marshal’s Office and the Lavaca County Sheriff’s Office also contributed to the investigation.
“SFMO is a division of the Texas Department of Insurance. You can report suspected arson to the SFMO at 800-578-4677.”
