Lima, OH (WLIO) - An Allen County man facing a charge from a 2020 arson fire, tried to get a new lawyer before his trial was set to begin next month. 53-year-old Jason Raines Sr. is charged with aggravated arson and Friday in Allen County Common Pleas Court he tried to get the judge to give him a new lawyer because he says he was not able to get his lawyer to return phone calls in a timely manner. The judge denied that request and the trial is set to start on January 9th, 2023.
According to court records, Raines and his co-defendant Tim Messer allegedly set fire to a home in Shawnee Township with someone inside in June in 2020. Raines and Messer will be tried at the same time for the arson.
