COLEMAN
Posted on 12/07/2004 5:03:37 AM PST by billorites
DOVER — A man who allegedly tried to burn his ex-girlfriend’s apartment building with Molotov cocktails, then fled on a riding lawnmower, was held in lieu of $25,000 cash bail after being arraigned on felony charges yesterday.
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The homemade bombs did not burst into flames, although police said the rags appeared to have been lighted and that the situation could have been deadly. Mineral Park Drive is home to several units owned by Dover Housing Authority.
“You have a residential building with four units where several people are living and what appears to be an attempt to set the apartment on fire,” Dover Police Capt. Anthony Colarusso said. “It could have resulted in injury or even death.”
While the Molotov cocktail that Coleman allegedly threw at the front door did not break, the bomb he allegedly threw at the rear door shattered, spilling gasoline and sending fumes into nearby apartments. Two residents were treated for breathing difficulty from the gas fumes, police said.
Coleman was arraigned in Dover District Court yesterday on class A felonies of criminal trespass and attempted arson and a class A misdemeanor of resisting arrest. He could face up to 31 years in jail if convicted on all charges.
Coleman was wearing yellow rubber gloves and holding a full bottle of Budweiser beer in his left breast jacket when he drove his lawn mower in the dark on Whittier Street and Tolend Road as police followed in a cruiser with lights flashing and sirens blaring, according to an affidavit filed by Dover Police.
“At one point, Coleman turned around and looked directly at (a police cruiser),” Dover police prosecutor George Wattendorf wrote in an affidavit. “Coleman appeared calm as he was smoking a cigarette.”
It was when police got out of their cars and walked toward Coleman, who is listed as 6 feet, 2 inches tall and weighing 300 pounds, that he stopped and turned himself in. The make of Coleman’s mower was not available last night.
Coleman, who lives about a mile from Mineral Park Drive, told police he was coming from a convenience store and that he was wearing yellow rubber gloves because the weather was cold, according to an affidavit. Police said they also found matches in Coleman’s pocket.
Police charged Coleman with criminal trespass, because he had been under a protective order barring him from Dover Housing Authority property. Colarusso said police were familiar with Coleman through “various incidents” and “disturbances.”
Coleman is scheduled to appear again in Dover District Court on Dec. 14. If he posts bail, he is barred from contacting any witnesses to the incident, having weapons or using alcohol or drugs. He continues to be barred from Dover Housing Authority property.
Figures.
He would have looked mighty silly riding a mower with a Heineken or Pilsner Urquel.
Did the police give him a "Grassalyser" ?
Bobby Bouchier has gone horribly wrong!!!!
Bet he was driving a SUM. Sports Utility Mower.
Does anybody else here just think they may have been shooting some hillbilly comedy skit?
At what point does it even enter the most warped mind that this is a great plan that might actually work?
Bud drinkers do the craziest things.
Sure it wasn't a DIM SUM. Detroit Impala Mobile Sports Utility Mower.
Sounds plausable, just cruise on over to 7-11 on your mower. At 300 lbs, you couldn't expect him to be riding a bicycle.
Leni
And when we find it out, we'll be looking into them in an attempt to find why this manufacturers' products were used in this attack..............
lol
A cry for help.
This is what happens when you play GTA:San Andreas too much.
ROTFLMAO!
"The make of Coleman’s mower was not available last night"
If'n you're going out cop-racing on a mower....it'd better be one o' these!!!!
"A man who allegedly tried to burn his ex-girlfriend’s apartment building with Molotov cocktails"
A case of sibling rivalry perhaps?
He might've had a chance if he'd been mulching.
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