Holly Zachariah, THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH
The Columbus Dispatch (Ohio)

A former firefighter and a juvenile fire cadet have been arrested and charged with intentionally setting two fires in Clark County, including one in which one of them was injured.

Brian Doak, 32, of New Carlisle, pleaded not guilty yesterday in Clark County Municipal Court to two counts of complicity to aggravated arson, two counts of breaking and entering, and a misdemeanor charge of intimidation of an attorney, victim or witness.

Aron Jenkins, a 15-year-old who had served as a cadet on the New Carlisle Fire Department, also was arrested and is being held in a juvenile detention center. He has been charged with delinquency counts of aggravated arson and breaking and entering.

On March 7, Doak, who was at that time a New Carlisle firefighter, discovered and reported a fire at a vacant house next to his home. Investigators with the state fire marshal's office determined it was arson.

Then, on March 28, Doak and Jenkins were on duty when a house fire was reported elsewhere in the city. While fighting that fire, Doak was injured by a falling door and had to be treated at an area hospital, authorities said.

Doak has since been fired by the fire department for what authorities called "administrative violations." After his firing, Doak threatened to set more fires as retaliation and threatened witnesses, according to the Clark County sheriff's office.

Both Doak and Jenkins were arrested Wednesday.

New Carlisle is in western Clark County, about 50 miles west of Columbus.

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May 15, 2009 Friday