News Photo by Julie Riddle Kevin Baughan, center, stands with attorneys Ron Bayot, left, and Julie Miller as a judge declares a hung jury in Baughan’s trial in Alpena’s 26th Circuit Court on Monday.

ALPENA — An Alpena man will have to face a second jury after Alpena County jurors could not decide whether he attempted to light a fire to kill four children and several adults in December 2020.

After seven hours of deliberation, a jury on Monday walked away with no verdict in the trial of Kevin Baughan, charged with multiple counts of attempted murder and arson, following a four-day trial in Alpena’s 26th Circuit Court last week.

Baughan, 32, faced accusations he intentionally spilled gasoline in an Alpena home and attempted to light a lighter, saying he would kill the home’s residents by burning the house down.

He did not plan to kill anyone and had no memory of making threats or pouring the gasoline inside the house because he blacked out, Baughan claimed during testimony on Friday.

Around 11 a.m. Monday, jurors told Judge Ed Black that, despite five hours of deliberation on Friday and two more hours Monday morning, they could not agree on any of the charges against Baughan.

Witnesses last week said an argument with his fiancee, Amanda Elllis, culminated in Baughan bringing a gas can into their Alpena home and pouring fuel throughout the kitchen and dining room, saying he would kill everyone in the house.

Baughan allegedly soaked Ellis with gasoline while he poured gasoline over his own head, witnesses said.

Baughan then allegedly pulled a lighter out of his pocket and unsuccessfully tried to light it.

Witnesses’ accounts of what happened to the lighter did not match police accounts of the lighter falling out of Baughan’s pocket when officers later carried him out of the house.

Ellis admitted on the stand that Baughan warned her to get herself and other occupants out of the house before he started pouring gasoline.

She also acknowledged that, had she not tried to get the gas can away from Baughan, she would not have gotten soaked herself, though her sister testified Baughan had deliberately splashed Ellis with fuel.

Baughan testified that, during the argument, he carried the recently purchased gas can into the house to show Ellis that he had spent money responsibly. The can’s spout and cap had been removed while he added a chemical to the gasoline to prepare it for use in a snow blower.

Baughan claimed to remember little of what happened after that, but said he would not intentionally try to kill anyone.

With the jury unable to reach a consensus on any charges, Baughan will face trial again on the same charges at a date yet to be set by the court, unless he is offered and accepts a plea deal before then.

Baughan has been held at the Alpena County Jail without bond since December 2020. After the jury announced their decision, Black said he would set a $125,000 cash or surety bond. Baughan’s attorneys can ask for a reduction in that bond, Black said.

Julie Riddle can be reached at 989-358-5693 or jriddle@thealpenanews.com. Follow her on Twitter @jriddleX.