Fired Up

A man called police after his 31 year old son went on a rampage in the house and started breaking things. The man told his son, "let's take it outside." The son thought dad wanted to fight and happily went out the door to the carport to meet dad's challenge. Sly dad closed and locked the door behind him and called police.

Son became enraged at dad's ruse and decided it would be appropriate to douse the family car in gasoline and set it on fire. The car was parked under an open-air carport a few feet from the house and directly under the roof.

Dad noticed black smoke coming into the house from under the carport door. He quickly grabbed his sleeping grandson and escaped to the backyard.

I followed the fire engine into the neighborhood and pulled up to see a vehicle fully engulfed in flames parked in the carport. The flames where quickly spreading up to the ceiling of the carport and were moments away from entering the attic (certain doom).

Two more fire engines arrived and the small army of firefighters doused the fire just in time. They pulled down the charred and soggy ceiling to the carport to make sure the attic was safe. Dozens of neighbors poured into the streets to watch the spectacle and to check on dad's welfare.

Meanwhile, the 31 year old son ran from the scene, shirtless and shoeless in sub-40 degree weather. He was spotted by a motorist a few blocks away running down the street but police were unable to find him. He doesn't have a car or anywhere else to live so it probably won't be long before we catch up to him.

The following day, son showed up at home and rang the doorbell. His mom answered the door, let him in and called police 45 minutes later. Now, I love my kids but if I had a 31 year old son that destroyed the family vehicle and almost burned his father and six year old son alive, I might have called police a bit sooner. Even worse, mom coached son to ask for a lawyer and deny any knowledge of setting the fire (fortunately, I conducted a taped interview with dad right after the fire was put out which will be strong evidence).