A Daytona Beach man recently kicked out of the house by his girlfriend returned on May 8 and set the home on fire with her dog inside, court documents show.
James Helsel, 47, was booked into the Volusia County Branch Jail on May 9 on charges of second-degree arson, felony cruelty to animals, and burglary of a dwelling or structure causing damage in excess of $1,000. He remained locked up May 11 on $45,000 bail.
Firefighters extinguished the fire and found the dog “safe and sound” in the home, Volusia Sheriff’s Office deputies said in a report.
Investigators also said that Helsel caused an estimated $20,000 in damage to the home
Daytona man breaks into home, pours gas on bed, sets it on fire
Helsel went to the David Drive home at 6:15 p.m. May 8 when the woman was not there, and broke garage window to get in. Once inside, Helsel grabbed a container of gasoline and used a hidden spare key to unlock the garage door that led into the house, court documents reviewed on May 11 show.
According to an arrest report filed with the court, Helsel went to the master bedroom in the home and poured gasoline on the bed, setting it on fire. He then ran from the house deputies said.
Helsel knew that a dog was in the house because he had lived there and had taken care of the dog while the victim was out of town, deputies wrote in the report.
The victim came home at 6:42 p.m. to find smoke inside the garage. She entered the main part of the house to find more smoke throughout the residence, Volusia deputies wrote in the report.
The smoke was so debilitating that the woman had to exit the home and call for help, investigating deputies said.
The woman reported she was unable to find her dog, court records show.
Firefighters arrived at the home and extinguished the fire and found the dog safe, the arrest report states.
Daytona man kicked out for not helping with household bills, upset with ex for ending relationship, deputies say
According to court documents, investigating deputies focused on Helsel after his ex-girlfriend said she had kicked him out of her home.
The victim said that Helsel was not helping with household bills and on May 3 she asked him to pay his share of expenses. Instead of paying, Helsel became angry and packed his belongings and left the home, the report states.
Helsel was upset that the relationship ended and sent Facebook messages to the Daytona Beach woman from May 3 to May 7. The woman felt the messages were threatening in nature, deputies wrote in the report.
Daytona man seen on video near home during fire, deputies said
In their investigation, deputies located surveillance cameras at a nearby home and the recording showed Helsel was near the home at the time of the fire, court records state.
In the video recording, deputies saw Helsel walking towards the victim’s home, and was seen again two other times near the home, the report states.
Daytona man previously set another ex-girlfriend’s vehicle on fire, deputies’ report show
Volusia sheriff’s deputies said in checking Helsel’s criminal record, they discovered that he had three prior felony convictions including one for animal cruelty and another for robbery.
While investigating the Daytona house fire on May 8, deputies also learned that it was not the first time that Helsel had set an ex-girlfriend’s property on fire, deputies wrote in the report.
“(The victim) advised that while involved with Helsel, she was told by co-workers that approximately 2-3 years ago, Helsel and (another) ex-girlfriend ended their relationship. (The victim) was advised that Helsel was upset over the breakup and allegedly set fire to the bed of the ex-girlfriend’s pickup truck,” deputies wrote in the report.
When Helsel was arrested for the May 8 incident, he admitted to breaking into the Daytona woman’s home and setting the fire saying, “that he had done a stupid thing,” deputies noted in their report.
This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Daytona man upset with breakup sets ex’s home on fire, cops say
Reporting by Patricio G. Balona, Daytona Beach News-Journal / The Daytona Beach News-Journal
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