The Brewer man accused of setting a Bangor garage on fire in August said it was started by two men who were trying to kill him, according to court records.
John Toolin, 66, was indicted on two Class A counts of arson and Class C aggravated criminal mischief after he allegedly set a garage fire Aug. 15 at a home on Pearl Street near Mount Hope Avenue.
The homeowner heard banging around 5:30 a.m. but thought it was a neighbor before she looked outside and saw smoke coming from her garage, the investigation report said.
In an interview after Toolin was arrested, he told police he walked up the driveway and into the garage because he was being chased by two people who wanted to kill him, according to court records.
He tried to barricade the door so the two guys couldn’t get him and no one else came into the garage. But Toolin said the fire was started by the two men who were chasing him, according to the report.
There was an ironing board in the garage and the two men used cardboard on top of the board to start the fire, despite never getting into the garage, Toolin told police. He said he escaped through the back door and the men left once the fire started.
A photo taken by the homeowner’s son shows Toolin in the backyard while the garage is on fire, per court records.
The fire was contained to the front half of the garage and was set with cardboard on top of an iron boarding, the investigation report concludes.
Toolin is scheduled for a disposition conference related to mental health Wednesday.
He has been in the Penobscot County Jail since Aug. 15. He was granted a bond of $25,000, which he has not posted.
