A Portage man who originally told police he tried to die by suicide by blowing up a house in which he didn’t live in October is now charged with arson.
Lake Station Police found a severely burned Dale Gerard Heintz, 40, walking along E. 27th Avenue Oct. 14 after a house in the 2600 block of New York Avenue exploded, court records said. When they asked him what had happened, he said, “I tried to kill myself but it didn’t work. I’m sorry,” records said.
Heintz was rushed by UCAN to University of Chicago for treatment of second- and third-degree burns on his body, and the case was turned over to the Indiana State Fire Marshal, who found that gas pipes had been cut, records said. No one else was in the house at the time.
Police the next day spoke to the homeowner, a Hobart man who said he didn’t live in the house but was rehabbing it, records said. The man said he wanted to press charges because he hadn’t given anyone permission to be in the house.
Heintz has been charged with arson damage by fire, property of another where pecuniary loss is at least $5,000, and arson knowingly damaged by fire, the dwelling of another without their consent, both Level 4 felonies; and criminal mischief — damage is at least $50,000, a Level 6 felony
A warrant is out for his arrest, according to court records. He also has a pending charge of methamphetamine possession from July of this year.
Michelle L. Quinn is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.
