Man charged with arson after woman rescued from house fire
Ian Dwight Solomon, 23, was arrested after an April 15 fire on St. George Boulevard and charged with committing arson with disregard for life
Article content
A Moncton man is accused of starting a fire at a home that resulted in a woman having to flee with the help of firefighters last month.
Ian Dwight Solomon, 23, was arrested after an April 15 fire on St. George Boulevard and charged with arson with disregard for life. Specifically, he’s accused of damaging a home by setting a fire, while knowing it was occupied or being reckless as to whether it was occupied.
During an April 23 court appearance he was sent for an assessment of his mental fitness at the request of the defence. Solomon appeared in provincial court on Thursday by phone from the jail in Shediac and the outcome of his assessment was that a psychiatrist determined he’s not currently fit to stand trial.
When Judge Brigitte Volpé asked if he accepted the report or if he wanted to speak to duty counsel on the phone, Solomon went on an incoherent rant, multiple times. Unable to get instructions from him, the judge ordered him brought to court.
When Solomon appeared in the prisoner’s dock, after being transported from the jail by deputy sheriffs, it was more of the same. He addressed the court multiple times but didn’t make any sense.
The judge finally determined it was impossible to get instructions from the accused and declared him unfit for trial. She ordered him to be placed under the jurisdiction of the New Brunswick review board until he’s found fit to stand trial and can deal with his charge.
The Moncton Fire Department told Brunswick News its fire prevention officers were investigating the cause of a fire that resulted in damage to a home on St. George Boulevard, near Fourth Street, and the rescue of a woman found inside.
Capt. Serge Boudreau said a person passing by noticed smoke and called 911. Upon arrival, Boudreau said, they found a fire burning on the side of the house.
They extinguished it before it could spread further and firefighters found a woman inside the house. She was assessed by Ambulance New Brunswick personnel.
— With files from Alan Cochrane
Postmedia is committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion. Please keep comments relevant and respectful. Comments may take up to an hour to appear on the site. You will receive an email if there is a reply to your comment, an update to a thread you follow or if a user you follow comments. Visit our Community Guidelines for more information.