Dog deliberately set on fire Columbus, OH (US) Incident Date: Saturday, Jan 15, 2000 County: Franklin Local Map: available Disposition: Alleged Alleged: Richard T. Etgen

Case ID: 3293 Classification: Burning - Fire or Fireworks Animal: dog (non pit-bull) View more cases in OH (US) Login to Watch this Case

Man faces arson, animal cruelty charges. A South Side man was in the Franklin County jail last night after he allegedly set fire to two houses and a dog over the weekend.

Columbus Division of Fire arson investigators charged Richard T. Etgen, 40, of 789 Siebert St with one count of each aggravated arson and animal cruelty. Additional charges could be filed.

A dog owned by Etgen's financee died of injuries suffered in the first blaze, at Etgen's house Saturday morning.

Arson investigator Larry Pfeifer said that Etgen poured a flammable liquid over the dog, Cricket, then lighted the animal with a butane lighter.

The dog suffered second and third degree burns and later was put to sleep.

Etgen was arrested yesterday after he was allegedly caught pouring flammable liquid on a wooden basement window at 787 Siebert St., then lighting it with a butane lighter at 7:12 am., according to a court complaint filed by Pfeifer.

Etgen is to appear at 9 a.m. Tuesday in Franklin County Municipal Court on the aggravated arson charge, a second-degree felony. The animal -cruelty charge, a second-degree misdemeanor, was filed in the court's environmental division.

Damage estimates weren't available on the two houses, which are just west of Gilbert Street.

Etgen served four years in state prison after being convicted of two counts of gross sexual imposition in Franklin County in 1993, according to records of the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction.

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Columbus OH Dispatch - Jan 17, 2000

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