Garage fire results in arson charges for Amhestview man

A small garage fire in Amherstview has led to multiple charges for a local man, including arson and mischief endangering life.

Both the Lennox and Addington (L&A) County Detachment of the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) and Loyalist Township Fire Services responded to the fire at an Amherstview residence on Manitou Crescent at approximately 1 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 20, 2020. When OPP officers arrived on the scene, crews with Loyalist Fire were already at the scene and attempting to gain access to the garage to supress a small fire inside.

According to the L&A OPP, a resident at the home fled when police arrived. He was apprehended by officers after a foot chase that lasted a few blocks.

As a result of the ensuing investigation, the OPP have charged John Andrew Woodman, 51, of Amherstview with:

• Mischief under $5,000
• Mischief endangering life
• Arson – Damage to property
• Possession of a Schedule 1 substance – Methamphetamine
• Possession of a Schedule 1 substance – Cocaine

Woodman remained in custody pending a bail hearing in the Ontario Court of Justice in Napanee on Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2020.