WILKES-BARRE TWP. — Investigators allege that Richard Thomas Hart, son of the township’s fire chief, intentionally started a blaze in a residence on Casey Avenue last month.
Hart, 18, then allegedly awoke to calls to fight that fire.
According to the criminal complaint, emergency crews were dispatched to a working residential structure fire at 3:13 a.m. Dec. 21 at 115 Casey Ave. A police officer arrived to find the residence engulfed in flames, and evacuated a neighboring residence due to spreading fire.
Later that day, state police Fire Marshal Ronald Jarocha conducted an investigation and determined the fire was intentionally set in a storage room in the basement of the residence. Upon further investigation, Hart was named the suspect.
Hart was interviewed by police Jan. 7, at which time he told police he was at a pool hall with his friends on the night of Dec. 20. He then left to take his girlfriend home, returned to his house on Francis Street and ordered a pizza with a friend.
Hart then allegedly told investigators he left out the back door of his residence without anyone knowing and went to McDonald’s for an iced coffee. He arrived to a closed McDonald’s, and then chased a cat he said resembled his grandmother’s into the rear of 115 Casey Ave.
Hart allegedly made his way inside the residence through a back door, where he started smoking a cigar. Hart told police he kicked a gas can “by accident” and then kicked it a second time. He told police he intentionally dropped his cigar into the pool of gas, knowing it would cause a fire.
Hart then said he went home and went to sleep, but was awakened by his fire pager. He then responded to the fire.
Hart faces three felony counts of arson and one felony count each of burglary and reckless burning.
He was arraigned on his charges Friday, and will appear before Magisterial District Judge Michael Dotzel for a preliminary hearing at 1 p.m. Jan. 20.
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