Police: Clarks Summit man set fire to vacant West Mountain home
Feb. 20—A 21-year-old Clarks Summit man set fire to a vacant home in West Mountain last week, Scranton police said Monday.
Dale Bettelli, 2174 Port Royal Road, started a fire at 501 Parallel Drive early Feb. 14, according to a criminal complaint filed by Detective Melissa Forsette. Bettelli abandoned his Subaru Forester on South Sekol Road, which is near the fire scene, because he got stuck around 2 a.m., he told a state trooper who interviewed him.
Investigators found a flare gun inside his vehicle, along with a spent flare casing marked Orion. At the fire scene, inspectors found four spent and partially melted flare casings. One of them was marked Orion in letters still legible.
Neighbors in the area reported seeing a small gray sport utility vehicle in the area just prior to the fire that was noted as "suspicious" because unknown vehicles stick out in that neighborhood.
While battling the fire, Scranton Fire Department Lt. William Boock strained his left shoulder and left elbow, and Firefighter Charles Bartlebaugh hurt his right shoulder and right wrist, police said.
The fire burned the vacant home almost to the ground. Two blackened walls remained standing after the blaze was extinguished.
Bettelli is charged with arson, criminal mischief and recklessly endangering another person.
Bettelli is in the Lackawanna County Prison in lieu of $100,000 bail. A preliminary hearing date was not available.
Contact the writer:
jkohut@timesshamrock.com; 570-348-9100, x5187;
@jkohutTT on Twitter.
