WAPAKONETA, Ohio (WLIO) — A Wapakoneta man was sentenced to eight years in prison for attempting to burn down the house he was living in.
Gerald Fullenkamp, 78, was sentenced in Auglaize County Common Pleas Court on charges of aggravated arson and cruelty to a companion animal. He pleaded guilty to the charges in December, and as part of a plea deal, three other charges were dropped.
According to the Ohio State Fire Marshal's office, on Oct. 5, Wapakoneta police officers were called to Fullenkamp's home early in the morning after he allegedly threatened to set the house on fire. When officers arrived, they encountered Fullenkamp, who was covered in blood, at the front door. He locked the door, and a fire was visible from a second-story window. Police forced their way into the house and found Fullenkamp in the basement, escorting him out of the building.
The fire department responded and extinguished the blaze. Fullenkamp was taken to the hospital for treatment.
