WAPAKONETA, Ohio -- Charges have been filed against an Indiana man stemming from the death of a Wapakoneta man in what officials said was methamphetamine lab fire last year.
The charges come nearly a year after the May 4 blaze at 15404 Wapakoneta-Fisher Road, Lot 4, that killed Jeffrey A. Aldrich, 52. Multiple agencies, including the Auglaize County Sheriff's Office, Ohio Division of State Fire Marshal and the Grand Lake Drug Task Force were involved in the investigation, Sheriff Al Solomon said.
"There was evidence found at the scene that was consistent with the manufacture of methamphetamine," Solomon said.
Last week, a grand jury indicted Robby B. Barnett, 52, of Peru, Ind., on one count of involuntary manslaughter, one count of illegal manufacture of drugs, and one count of assembly or possession of chemicals for the manufacture of drugs. Barnett faces up to 23 years in prison if convicted on all charges.
"Part of the delay was waiting on the lab results to come back. Any investigation you have to look at that first," Solomon said. "You have to clear up the fact it's not criminal. When they were at the scene there were some indications there and they followed up on that.
A neighbor called 911 around 11:30 p.m. May 4 to report the fire. Shane Cartmill, a spokesman for the Division of State Fire Marshal, said at the time of the blaze that the fire originated in a bathroom of the trailer at the Lakeside Estates Mobile Home Park. Fire damage was contained to one end of the trailer, with smoke and heat damage throughout, Cartmill said. There were no smoke detectors in the unit.
Barnett made his initial appearance in Auglaize County Common Pleas Court on Wednesday. Barnett was being held in the Auglaize County Law Enforcement Center in lieu of $400,000 bail.
Copyright 2012 - The Lima News, Ohio
McClatchy-Tribune News Service
