Nazareth man charged with setting fire to doors at St. John's Lutheran Church nursery school

FROM THE EXPRESS TIMES

A 27-year-old Nazareth man has been charged with setting fire to the front doors of a nursery school attached to St. John Evangelical Lutheran Church early this morning.

Craig A. Werkheiser, of the first block of Chestnut Street, was arraigned today before District Judge John Capobianco for allegedly setting the fire early this morning. The Love a Lot Nursery School is in the church building at 200 S. Broad St., in Nazareth.

No injuries were reported as a result of the fire.

Werkheiser was charged with institutional vandalism, reckless endangerment and disorderly conduct. According to Capobianco, the vandalism and endangerment charges each carry a maximum sentence of two years in prison.

Werkheiser was released on $15,000 unsecured bail, and Capobianco ordered him to undergo a psychiatric evaluation. A preliminary hearing date has been set for March 2.

According to court records:

Nazareth police received a call this morning that a fire had taken place at the St. John's Lutheran Church building.

The fire charred the double doors to the nursery school, damaged tile inside the building and burned a carpet runner inside the building. Damage is estimated at $4,500.

As Nazareth police Chief Thomas Trachta canvassed the neighborhood, he was approached by an unknown man who said police should look into Werkheiser in connection with the fire. The man told Trachta he had seen Werkheiser at the Towne House Bar in the first block of South Broad Street late Tuesday night and had overheard Werkheiser "talking bad" about St. John's Lutheran Church.

The man added he had been told Werkheiser urinated on the doors of the church several months ago.

Trachta contacted Werkheiser to come to police headquarters for an interview.

During questioning, Werkheiser admitted setting the fire. Werkheiser told police he had been "drinking heavily" at the Towne House Bar. At some point, Werkheiser told police, he left the bar, walked to the church building, and used his Bic lighter to light paper he had placed in the door handles. He then walked home.

Werkheiser didn't address the charges against him at his arraignment.

Church pastor the Rev. David Schaeffer was not immediately available for comment.

http://www.lehighvalleylive.com/nazareth/index.ssf/2012/02/nazareth_man_charged_with_sett.html