Ex-WI Firefighter Accused of Arson, Taking Apparatus to Blaze

A former Wisconsin firefighter faces a multiple felony charges after allegedly starting a fire at a vacant house and then taking off with an apparatus in order to put out the flames last month.

Corey A. Welch, 34, and Bryan M. Wendler, 37, were charged with being party to arson, burglary, operating a vehicle without consent, impersonating a peace officer and two counts of second-degree recklessly endangering safety in connection with the Feb. 29 incident, the Green Bay Press Gazette reports. In January, Welch had resigned from the Mattoon Fire Department.

Welch was being held on $25,000 bond in Shawano County Jail, and no court date had been set. Wendler, who also was charged with multiple counts of bail jumping, had bond set at $35,000, with his next court date set for March 21.

According to authorities, Welch and Wendler went to a house owned by Welch's late uncle in search of gold nuggets thought to be hidden at the address in Hutchins following the sale of $20,000 worth of farm equipment, the Press Gazette reports. The pair had been drinking beforehand.

When no gold was found, Welch allegedly poured a soda bottle full of diesel fuel that he had brought to the house on the floor and lit it on fire. Eventually, Welch called 9-1-1 to report the blaze, but he was unable to clearly give the location to the dispatcher.

One of the responding firefighters said he arrived at the station to discover Welch behind the wheel of a fire apparatus, according to the Press Gazette. The firefighter told authorities that Welch said he was no longer with the department but still planned on responding to the fire.

With other firefighters in the apparatus, Welch allegedly drove at a high rate of speed to the scene, where he reportedly stumbled around and smelled of alcohol. He also allegedly became confrontational with a fire captain who questioned him and finally escorted Welch from the scene.

Wendler told investigators that Welch had told him to take the blame for the fire because Wendler would be going to jail for another drunken driving offense, according to the Press Gazette. Welch also told Wendler he couldn't go to jail because he has five children, the news outlet added.