A Fort Wayne man, Christopher Peden, is facing an arson charge after investigators say he was involved in an extremely unusual incident that allegedly ended with his mother’s garage catching fire.
According to authorities, Peden allegedly cut off his own penis, set it on fire, and then used it to ignite the garage.
Yes, that is the kind of sentence that sounds like it came from a bizarre movie script, but investigators say this was a real incident.
Peden was arrested last week and charged with one count of arson. His bond was set at $10K.
Christopher Peden allegedly told police that he walked inside a garage in Fort Wayne, IN, and sliced off his junk with a kitchen knife, his lawyer, David Felts, tells TMZ.
Felts said Peden then allegedly placed his severed penis on the floor, doused it with gasoline from a container and set it on fire using 4 lighters.
Police and firefighters responded to the May 6 incident after receiving a call for a stabbing at the detached garage belonging to the property owners, cops said.
Arson is a major offense, especially when property is damaged or other people could potentially be placed in danger.
The owners were awakened by a concerned neighbor, who saw the garage burning, and they suddenly realized Peden — a family member — had disappeared.
While responding to the scene, Fort Wayne officers bumped into Peden, who falsely claimed he had been stabbed by someone downtown and threatened the day before.
But, after he was rushed to the hospital, Peden allegedly told investigators that he lied and then confessed to mutilating himself.
He was taken to the Allen County Jail, where he posed for a mug shot with his bond set at $10,000. Prosecutors charged him with felony arson. A rep for the jail said he’s no longer in custody.
Felts said Peden is currently in stable condition as the lawyer gathers information to mount a defense.
One minute people are discussing sports, entertainment, or everyday life, the next minute, everyone is trying to understand a story that sounds impossible.
The truth, however, will be determined by investigators and the courts.
