Bensalem teen didn't like his sneakers so he set them, and his house, on fire: Police
A 19-year-old Bensalem man faces multiple felony charges after authorities allege he set fire to his house with his mom and siblings inside because he did not like his sneakers.
Bensalem police and firefighters responded to a call in the 3900 block of Bristol Pike shortly after 5:30 a.m. on April 4 for a fire at a three-story twin home. The 911 caller said her son set a fire in his bedroom.
Bensalem firefighters quickly extinguished the fire, which damaged the bedroom floor and carpet, according to a probable cause affidavit.
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The woman claimed she was awakened by the sound of her smoke detectors and found her son in his second-floor bedroom holding a lighter, the affidavit said. There was a fire in the room and he made no attempt to warn others about it, according to court documents.
She told authorities she was asleep in her room and there were five other children ages 6 to 15 in the house.
The mother claimed that her son had been experiencing frequent “altered mental status,” which she suspected was related to drug abuse, the affidavit said.
Before first responders arrived, the teen threw patio furniture off the front porch, then he went into the backyard where he also threw a recycling bin and gas grill, authorities said. He was also causing a disturbance on the front porch resulting in his being detained.
Bensalem Fire Marshal Robert Sponheimer conducted the fire investigation and determined it to be incendiary in nature. When authorities spoke with the teen, he allegedly admitted to setting a pair of sneakers on fire because he didn’t like them.
He was arraigned before Bensalem District Judge Michael Gallagher on five felony arson-related charges including reckless burning and risking a catastrophe, nine related misdemeanors and a summary charge of disorderly conduct.
He is incarcerated in Bucks County Correctional Center in lieu of 10% of $250,000 bail. He had no legal representative as of Friday, according to the docket.
Reporter Jo Ciavaglia can be reached at jciavaglia@gannett.com
This article originally appeared on Bucks County Courier Times: Bensalem teen set sneakers he didn't like on fire, now charged
