Indiana man charged with reckless homicide for fire that killed 1, destroyed trailer in Ohio
NEW PARIS, Ohio (WISH) — A 23-year-old Indiana man is facing homicide charges out of Ohio after causing a house fire that killed a man.
The man was identified as 57-year-old Kenneth Doolin of New Paris, Ohio.
The Preble County Sheriff’s Office says that around 10:45 p.m. Friday, several deputy and fire units were dispatched to the 6500 block of State Road 121 West on a report of a mobile home fire with someone trapped inside.
That area is about an hour northwest of Dayton, two hours east of Indianapolis.
Firefighters worked to extinguish the fire for several hours. While they extinguished the fire, they found Doolin inside. He was pronounced dead at the scene. A female resident of the home escaped the trailer uninjured.
Preble County Sheriff Mike Simpson told News 8 that the mobile home is considered “a total loss.”
During the investigation, officers learned that 23-year-old Anthony Luker of Richmond, Indiana, was at the home when the fire started. Luker later fled the scene in a stolen vehicle before firefighters arrived.
Investigators found the stolen car in Connersville, Indiana. Luker was later taken into custody on Wednesday.
Luker is being held at the Preble County jail in Ohio. He is also facing felony charges in Ohio for having a weapon under a disability, grand theft of a firearm, and receiving stolen property.
Luker is also being charged in Fayette County with auto theft, and is currently under indictment in Wayne County for possession of methamphetamine.
A court date for Luker is not set yet.