The man accused of setting a Louisville patrol car on fire in 2021 is soon to be sentenced following a plea deal he made in October.

Derrick Allison, 37, pleaded guilty on Oct. 31 to second-degree arson — damage of $100 or more. All other charges were dismissed including the use of a explosive/incendiary device, second-degree arson and criminal mischief between $5,000 and $20,000. Allison’s second case involving arson was dismissed as part of the deal.

Allison is currently in custody on a bond of $100,000. He is set for sentencing on Dec. 22.

Allison was initially set for trial on Dec. 4, but that trial date was vacated after his plea.

His co-defendant Johnny Holden pleaded guilty in August 2022 to one count of second-degree arson and was sentenced to community corrections. Holden also pleaded guilty to distribution of a controlled substance in a separate Boulder County case.

According to Louisville police, an unoccupied police vehicle was at an apartment complex in the area of 855 W. Dillon Road on July 25, 2021, when it was set on fire.

There were no injuries, but the vehicle was a total loss. The cost to replace it is estimated to be $70,000.

According to an arrest affidavit, shattered glass from a wine bottle was found outside the vehicle that smelled of gasoline, leading investigators to believe the incident was arson.

Louisville police had been called to the apartment complex 10 days earlier and then the day after the fire for incidents involving Allison on a separate harassment case.Then, while investigating a dumpster fire at that address the day after the vehicle fire, an equipment bag was stolen from an officer’s vehicle.

Police obtained a warrant for surveillance video Allison had set up in his own apartment as part of both the arson and harassment investigation.

In the video, police say Allison and Holden, his neighbor, can be seen and heard talking about making a Molotov cocktail to light the police cruiser on fire. The video then shows the two men pouring gasoline into a wine bottle to make the Molotov cocktail.

According to the affidavit, the two men left the apartment with the Molotov cocktail about 30 minutes before the fire was reported.

They returned about 10 minutes later and immediately change clothes, while Holden can be heard saying, “I hope it (expletive) explodes.”

When police questioned Holden, he admitted they set the car on fire, though Holden claimed he was only serving as a lookout. Holden said Allison was mad at police and the apartment complex because he was being evicted.