Wil DeWitt, 34, is charged in La Porte Circuit Court with Level 6 felony arson.
According to authorities, DeWitt poured a container of gasoline on a house on May 9 in the 300 block of Grove St. Gasoline was also dumped in the grass and on a sidewalk outside the residence. Police said a lighter was spotted in DeWitt’s hand at the time but he never set fire to the home.
A witness who confronted the man told investigators he threatened to either kill himself or the people living in the residence, saying “I’m going to burn their house down,” according to police.
Police said it appears some sort of a physical altercation between DeWitt and the owner of the home doused with gasoline led up to the threats.
DeWitt was being held in the La Porte County Jail on $7,500 bond. He could face an up to 30 month sentence.
