A man has been charged with arson after allegedly cutting off his own genitals, soaking them in petrol and using them to start a fire inside a neighbour’s garage. Christopher Peden, 36, of Fort Wayne, Indiana, US, is accused of a shocking early-hours rampage that left him seriously injured and emergency crews racing to two separate incidents at the same time.
Incident Details
According to reports citing a probable cause affidavit, firefighters and police were called out on May 6 to a garage blaze. At the same time, officers also responded to a separate report of a stabbing in downtown Fort Wayne. Police later found Peden suffering severe injuries.
He allegedly told officers he had been threatened the day before, then stabbed by an unknown attacker. While being treated in hospital, Peden allegedly then admitted to an officer that he had lied about being attacked, True Crime News reported. He reportedly confessed his injuries were self-inflicted.
Investigation Findings
Investigators claim Peden entered a residential garage carrying a kitchen knife at around 2am. He allegedly mutilated himself, severing his own genitals, then poured petrol directly onto the amputated organ. The affidavit claims he then set it alight on the garage floor just inside the door, using the burning body part to ignite a fire inside the building, the New York Post reported.
After starting the blaze, he reportedly left the garage and walked away from the area until he encountered police. Fire investigators later recovered what they say are key items from the scene, including a red plastic petrol container, four lighters and a kitchen knife.
Legal Proceedings
Public court records have not disclosed a motive for the bizarre alleged act. It is also unclear what happened to the severed genitalia. Court documents seen by US outlets do not specify whether investigators were able to locate or recover it. Peden now faces a Level 4 felony arson charge, Wane 15 reported. If convicted, he could be jailed for up to 12 years. He is scheduled to appear in court for a hearing to formally set trial dates.
