UPDATE: Green Bay man charged with arson waives time limits for preliminary hearing
FRIDAY, 04/26/2024, 6:20 p.m.
(WFRV) – A 37-year-old Green Bay man charged with arson and five counts of first-degree recklessly endangering safety following a fire at a motel in Ashwaubenon was back in court on Thursday for a status conference.
Court records show that John Bartelt, 37, was back in the Brown County Courthouse, where he and an attorney waived the time limits for a preliminary hearing.
Bartelt will be back in court on June 21 for another status conference.
Green Bay man charged with arson following fire at Ashwaubenon motel, cash bond set at $500k
THURSDAY, 04/18/2024, 4:18 p.m.
(WFRV) – A man from Green Bay was officially charged with arson and five counts of 1st-degree recklessly endangering safety following a fire at a motel in Ashwaubenon.
According to a criminal complaint obtained by Local 5, 37-year-old John Bartelt is facing multiple charges after allegedly starting a fire in a motel in Ashwaubenon. On April 5 around 9:50 p.m., authorities were sent to a motel for a report of a man that cut his hand and was bleeding.
When officers got to the scene, they reportedly went to a room where the caller said he was bleeding. The man was later identified as Bartelt.
Police reportedly asked him to open the door, but Bartelt did not want the door to be opened. The complaint says that he told authorities there was glass, and he wanted band-aids slipped under the door.
Eventually, police started to walk back to their cars when a person was waving their arms out of a window. The officers reportedly saw a flame that was about four feet high coming from a room.
Authorities were unable to get into the room where Bartlet was, and a police battering ram was later requested. The complaint says that officers were able to make entry around 10:20 p.m.
The fire was later knocked down as crews started to spray water in the room. Dispatch reportedly told those on the scene that the suspect, Bartlet, had been incarcerated for the last 21 years and hoped to get into a shootout with officers. This information reportedly was noted from a recent call.
Later, officers saw a man in the window where fire crews were working, and he had his hands in the air. Bartlet was taken into custody. He reportedly claimed that he kicked a candle over and started the fire.
The complaint says that a member of the Brown County Arson Task Force investigated the scene, and said there was ‘overwhelming’ evidence that this was not a fire by accident.
There were reportedly over 50 guests at the motel, and Bartlet was the only one inside that room. The room was reportedly registered to him.
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The fire reportedly caused a ‘considerable’ amount of damage in the room. The entire second floor of the motel reportedly remained closed for several days.
Bartelt is charged with:
Arson of Building, Repeater
Felony
Up to 40 years in prison (Can be increased by six years due to repeater)
First Degree Recklessly Endangering Safety, Repeater
Felony
Up to 12 and a half years in prison (Can be increased by six years due to repeater)
First Degree Recklessly Endangering Safety, Repeater
Felony
Up to 12 and a half years in prison (Can be increased by six years due to repeater)
First Degree Recklessly Endangering Safety, Repeater
Felony
Up to 12 and a half years in prison (Can be increased by six years due to repeater)
First Degree Recklessly Endangering Safety, Repeater
Felony
Up to 12 and a half years in prison (Can be increased by six years due to repeater)
First Degree Recklessly Endangering Safety, Repeater
Felony
Up to 12 and a half years in prison (Can be increased by six years due to repeater)
Court records show that Bartelt was in court on April 17 for his initial appearance. He had a cash bond set at $500,000. He is due back in court on April 25 for a preliminary hearing.
No additional information was provided.
