Police: Man ‘saves’ neighbor’s dog from imaginary house fire

HALFMOON, NY (WCMH) – Police say a man was high when he broke into a neighbor’s home to rescue a dog from an imaginary house fire.

On October 13, prosecutors say Michael Orchard, 43, drove his car through a neighbor’s fence in Halfmoon, NY and then smashed the rear door of the neighbor’s house. Orchard then took the neighbor’s dog.

State Police say Orchard was high on acid and cough syrup at the time of the incident and was hallucinating that the house was on fire. He told responding officers he felt he needed to save his neighbor’s dog.

When State police arrived on scene, they say Orchard was found standing “heroically” outside the home with the dog in hand.

The dog was not harmed, and was returned to its owner, WTEN-TV reports.

Orchard was arrested for Burglary 2nd, and Criminal Mischief 3rd. He was arraigned in Halfmoon Court and remanded to Saratoga County Jail after failing to post bail.