FAYETTEVILLE — A Springdale man who police say tried to set his wife on fire in September pleaded guilty Tuesday to terroristic threatening and aggravated assault, both felonies, in Washington County Circuit Court.
Edmund Linka, 50, was sentenced to six years probation and fined $1,000.
Linka was charged with attempted capital murder, attempted arson, aggravated assault and endangering the welfare of a minor, all felonies. Prosecutors said they reached a plea bargain after the victim refused to cooperate.
Springdale police went to the home the morning of Sept. 28 for a domestic disturbance call, according to a police report.
Linka was holding a steak knife and had “an assortment” of other knives clipped to his pockets and pants while he talked to an officer “from a distance,” the report said. Linka’s arm was bandaged and bleeding, which he said was because he broke a window in his garage the day before after his wife, Beth Moore-Linka, locked him in.
The report said Linka told the police he poured gasoline in every room of the house, then on Moore-Linka, intending to burn them both.
Linka told police he was tired of his wife insulting him and said he was in love with another woman, according to the report.
Moore-Linka’s daughter and other relatives tackled Linka, allowing Moore-Linka to escape about the same time police arrived, according to the report.