Woman, children threatened with fire

A woman and six children fled a house on Jacob Road after 34-year-old Eugene Chambers Jr. began pouring gasoline on the house at about 5 p.m. Tuesday, St. Landry Parish Sheriff Maj. Eddie Thibodeaux said.
Chambers of the 1600 block of East Maple Street was arrested by St. Landry Parish Sheriff’s deputies on charges of attempted aggravated arson, aggravated assault and resisting an officer.
A caller reported that Chambers was at the residence attempting to burn the house down, Thibodeaux said.
 The woman said she and six children ranging from 2 to 13 years old were forced to exit the house when Chambers threatened to burn the house down and began pouring gasoline on the home, Thibodeaux said.
The victim also reported that gasoline was poured on her while Chambers was pouring the gasoline around the outside of the house, he said.
When a deputy arrived, he noticed Chambers standing in the front yard of the residence carrying a metal pipe, Thibodeaux said.
Chambers began shouting at the deputy that the house was his house and that he could do whatever he wanted to, Thibodeaux said.
The deputy then ordered Chambers to drop the pipe, but the subject began walking toward the deputy with the pipe raised over his head, Thibodeaux said.
Chambers eventually dropped the pipe after he was asked several more times to do so, but he then resisted arrest when the deputy first attempted to handcuff him, Thibodeaux said.
Sheriff Bobby Guidroz said, “Deadly force is always used as a last resort and would like to take this opportunity to commend his deputies for using great verbal skills taught during training that inevitably saved Chambers and the occupants lives.”
Chambers is in the St. Landry Parish Jail. His bail has been set at $23,000.