Man Attempted To Set Ex-Girlfriend’s Fiancé On Fire In Merrillville Home Invasion
MERRILLVILLE — A 36-year-old man who recently served time in a community corrections program for an attempted arson returned to his victim’s Merrillville home Friday and tried to set the victim on fire, records show.
Michael E. Howard, of Gary, is accused of throwing a concrete paving block through a man’s sliding glass door in the 300 block of West 56th Place and dousing the man’s head and clothes with gasoline.
The man, a disabled veteran, told police Howard mentioned the man’s fiancee and tried to reach for a lighter. The man’s financee is Howard’s ex-girlfriend, according to Lake Criminal Court records.
The man fought with Howard, who may have realized police had been called and fled, a probable cause affidavit states.
Police arrived and found the man, who had suffered burns and was having trouble keeping his eyes open because of irritation caused by the gasoline.
All four burners on a stove were in the on position, and police could smell gas, the affidavit states.
Howard previously was charged in February 2017 with attempted arson, three counts of criminal recklessness, invasion of privacy and criminal mischief after he threw Molotov cocktails into the Merrillville home.
He was sentenced last fall to 2.5 years in prison, but a judge suspended one year of the sentence and ordered Howard to serve the remaining 1.5 years in a community corrections program.
Since his release from the program, Howard had been threatening the man and his fiancee via social media, the affidavit states.
Howard was charged Tuesday with felony attempted murder, three counts of burglary, arson resulting in bodily injury and stalking.
Source: Northwest Indiana Times
