SUNBURY - The Sunbury man who claimed he accidently set fire to a city residence waived his case to court in his preliminary hearing Thursday in front of Senior District Judge Richard P. Cashman, Sunbury.
Richard Paul Lutz, 55, of 332 S. Third St., waived charges of eight felony counts, including one each of arson, arson endangering person, arson endangering property, causing or risking catastrophe and criminal trespass, and three for criminal mischief, and single misdemeanor counts of failure to prevent catastrophe and recklessly endangering another person.
He was charged by Sunbury Patrolman Stephen Bennick with the offenses following a fire that destroyed 1025 Walnut St., owned by David and Sherry Roush, Northumberland, and 1023 Walnut St., owned by Evelyn Hunt, and heavily damaged 1027 Walnut St. on Oct. 26.
Lutz admitted to police that he had been at 1025 Walnut St., which is currently unoccupied, to retrieve clothing and VHS tapes. He had been helping potential buyers to clean up the house. He lit matches in order to see, but dropped them, igniting a pile of clothing. He claimed he was unable to extinguish the fire and left the scene because he thought he was going to get into trouble.
Several witness said they saw someone who matched Lutz's description entering, exiting and walking around the house prior to the fire, police said.
Lutz remains in Northumberland County Prison in lieu of $100,000 bail.