Mansfield man allegedly set fire to his home with stepdaughter inside
A Mansfield man was arrested earlier this month charged with aggravated arson for allegedly starting a fire at his own house while his stepdaughter was inside.
Authorities allege Chad A. Cook, 51, of 1065 Timbercliff Drive, started the fire on April 21 at his own house at 1065 Timbercliff Drive.
He was taken to the Richland County Jail, from which he has been released on bond, according to authorities.
Cook's 23-year-old stepdaughter, Jordann Keller, was inside the house at the time of the fire, attempting to sleep, according to the Richland County Sheriff's Office reports. She was able to escape and call 911.
The 96-page report from the Richland County Sheriff's Office, it isn't clear why Cook, who works for the Village of Lexington Parks Department, set the fire.
Deputies said their investigation showed Chad Cook had put valuables in a storage unit in Lexington prior to the fire, including a firearm, an AR-15-style assault rifle, and prized football helmets. Cook registered the unit in his stepdaughter's name, telling Jordann that opening the storage unit would help her build her credit, according to the report. She used Chad Cook's credit card to pay for the storage unit, the report said.
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The day of the fire, timeline
Chad's wife Catherine had left for work that day around 8 a.m. Keller had put her sister Morgan, 14, on the bus.
Fire Marshal Jason Whaley, in the report, said Chad Cook was seen on a security camera going into the residence at 9:52 a.m., remaining there for six minutes and departing the residence at 9:58 a.m.
Whaley said within seconds of Cook leaving, smoke is seen on camera coming from the rear of the residence.
Jordann Keller called 911 at 10:02 a.m. that day.
Chad Cook started grabbing his chest at the fire scene and was taken to the hospital by EMS squad.
Fire marshal reports cause of fire
According to the fire marshal's report, the cause of the fire was incendiary.
The fire started in the basement of the house beside a sauna that was close to a wall that was open. It was a stud wall only with an electric receptacle attached to it.
"The evidence clearly shows the homeowner Chad Cook entered the home ... Chad used an open flame to ignite combustible materials (cardboard, wooden planking) in the basement near the base of the stairwell," the report said. "The use of a liquid accelerant could not be ruled out...."
Jordann was in her room watching YouTube with the dogs when she heard popping and cracking coming from downstairs, according to the sheriff's report.
Facts about the case revealed
Thursday, Sheriff's Capt. Donald Zehner said the investigation was a collaboration among the sheriff's office's Major Crimes, Washington Township Fire Department and the state fire marshal's office.
Initially Cook told investigators he went home to get his lunch box, which he had forgotten that morning on the kitchen counter. Neighbors' security video cameras showed Cook leaving his house shortly before smoke and fire were seen coming from the back of the house, according to the sheriff's office reports.
Employees at his work contradicted Cook, saying they saw him put his lunch box in the refrigerator that morning when he came to work, according to the report.
Chad Cook gave authorities various stories about what occurred, from he was smoking and discarded a cigarette butt which may have ignited a fire, to a different story of he didn't know how the fire started.
He even said he didn't come back home that morning.
During the investigation, he told his wife not to talk to detectives or the insurance company.
He confessed to his wife he caused the fire by smoking cigarettes in the basement. He retained an attorney as detectives began to ask questions, according to a report.
Court records
Chad Cook was arraigned on June 13 in Mansfield Municipal Court on a charge of aggravated arson. On June 17, his case was bound over to the grand jury, bond was continued. He is not to be in possession of any firearms, and is to return his keys for the Village of Lexington to the sheriff's office.
He is ordered to appear before the Richland County Common Pleas Court at 1 p.m. Nov. 29 for arraignment, according to court documents.
lwhitmir@gannett.com
419-521-7223
Twitter: @LWhitmir
This article originally appeared on Mansfield News Journal: Man allegedly set fire to his home while stepdaughter was inside
