LOUISVILLE, Ky. — The Louisville man who stored over 100 dangerous chemicals in a Highview home changed his plea Thursday and avoided prison time.
Marc Hibel pleaded guilty to two counts of criminal trespass, reduced from burglary, and one count of wanton endangerment. A judge issued a suspended sentence for each count.
Hibel is required to spend five years on supervised probation, have no further violations of the law and continue mental health treatment.
In July 2023, Louisville Metro police searched two homes on Applegate Lane in the Highview neighborhood after receiving a tip hazardous materials may be present.
Authorities found several explosive substances, along with other substances that could pose a potential risk to first responders.
Mayor Craig Greenberg said Hibel was in possession of these chemicals for a long time, with some for multiple years. According to city records, Hibel was fined multiple times for the condition of his home over the course of several years by Metro Codes and Regulations.
After initially planning to stage a controlled burn of the residence, the EPA demolished the home last October after removing over 100 chemicals. The demolition took 10 days and had a budget of $1.4 million.
Among the chemicals found were mercury, poison-inhalation compounds and pyrophoric materials.