Man charged with arson in June blaze in N. Toledo
7/21/2012An East Toledo man faces 16 arson counts for allegedly setting fire to a North Toledo home.
Gerald Kanavel III, 32, of 639 Woodville Rd., was arrested Friday and slated for arraignment Monday in Toledo Municipal Court.
Documents filed in court by Glen Frames, a Toledo fire investigator, charge that Mr. Kanavel was hired to burn down the vacant house at 1950 N. Superior St., built in 1909. As crews responded to the 8:04 p.m. fire call on June 17, dispatchers received a description of a man seen fleeing just before the house "erupted in flames," Toledo fire Lt. Matthew Hertzfeld said. Court documents said an "ignitable liquid" was poured onto "ordinary combustibles" and lit.
Damage was estimated at $8,300. Lucas County land records valued the property, owned by Brad Eith of Toledo, at $12,800.
The charges include 15 counts of aggravated arson and one count of arson to another's property. The aggravated-arson counts are based on the number of firefighters put at risk, the lieutenant said.