Man's burnt marijuana ashes started the fire that destroyed his father's Summit home, complaint says
Steven Martinez
A Delafield man in February repeatedly dumped his burnt marijuana ashes on some cardboard boxes, which ultimately caused them to ignite and burn his father's Summit home to the ground, according to a criminal complaint.
As a result, Joseph Fischer has been charged with misdemeanor negligent handling of burning material. Fischer, 29, is scheduled to make his initial appearance in Waukesha County Circuit Court on June 11.
The fire started just before 4:30 a.m. Feb. 22 in the 34000 block of Venice Park Road.
According to the complaint, Fischer smoked three bowls of marijuana in the 90 minutes before the fire broke out, and each time dumped the ashes onto some cardboard boxes on the porch of his father's home.
About 10 minutes after he dumped the ashes for the third time, he told police, he smelled smoke and saw 7-foot flames coming from the boxes.
He then ran to a neighbor's house and urged them to call 911.
Five minutes after that call was placed, firefighters with the Western Lakes Fire Department arrived to find the home engulfed in flames.
The department deemed the roughly $220,000 home a total loss.
If convicted, Fischer could face up to nine months in jail and $10,000 in fines.
