Julio Rodriguez, 51, of Allentown, was charged after a fire erupted at a home on the 700 block of South 10th Street, according to a release from the Allentown Police Department.
Officers were dispatched to the home at approximately 1:45 p.m. Friday, Dec. 19, for reports of a structure fire with a person inside who was experiencing a mental health crisis and was possibly armed, police said.
Court documents state Rodriguez’s girlfriend contacted county dispatch earlier that day, reporting that Rodriguez had been drinking all night, kicked her out of the home, and was threatening to burn it down. She told dispatchers she believed Rodriguez was still intoxicated and alone inside the residence.
When officers arrived, they observed fire coming from the second floor of the home. Police attempted to communicate with Rodriguez, who was inside a bedroom, but he refused to come out and later stopped responding, according to court paperwork.
Officers then entered the smoke-filled home, where they found Rodriguez unconscious. Court documents say the officers carried him out of the residence and away from the fire.
Investigators say the girlfriend later told police that she returned home from work around midnight to find Rodriguez intoxicated and accusing her cousin of stealing his shoes. After an argument, police were called to the home to defuse the situation. Once officers left, the argument continued, prompting her to leave the residence, authorities said.
Police say Rodriguez sent multiple text messages threatening to “burn the house down” and made statements about not being afraid to die. During a Facetime call shortly before the fire, the woman reported seeing Rodriguez using a blue lighter to ignite an unknown item and drop it, court documents state. She then saw smoke coming from the home after the call disconnected.
Following the fire, both responding officers were taken to the hospital for evaluation. One officer was treated for smoke inhalation, while the other suffered burns to the nostrils and the back of the throat, according to court records.
Two adults were displaced by the fire and are being assisted by the American Red Cross, officials said.
Rodriguez was charged with arson, recklessly endangering another person, and disorderly conduct. Court documents show he was arraigned Dec. 20 and is scheduled for a preliminary hearing Dec. 26.
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