Medics were called to a magistrate judge's office in Lackawanna County Wednesday afternoon after an arson suspect ripped out his breathing tube.
He was arrested for a fire police said he set Tuesday night.
Timothy Ferguson, 22, of Jermyn breathes through a tube in his throat after he tried to committ suicide last year.
Now he is charged with arson. Police said he set his apartment building on fire.
Ferguson was wheeled out of district court on a stretcher. In the courtroom he sobbed as he was charged with seven counts of arson.
When the judge set his bail at $100,000, he pulled out his breathing tube. Once he did that, he begged officers to shoot him, rather than send him to jail.
Neighbors who live in the county housing complex in Jermyn where the fire happened said the 22-year-old man was very depressed.
"Oh yeah, all the time. Definitely suicidal," said Darlene Fetcho of Jermyn.
Firefighters were called to the building on Henry Drive around 11 p.m. Several people had to be rescued and one person was hospitalized for minor injuries.
Two of the apartments were heavily damaged, including the one where Ferguson lived.
A neighbor who did not want to be identified said she talked with Ferguson earlier in the day, before the fire. "Crying like a baby to me. I told the cop up here I said this kid needs help. The cop talked to him and he left," the neighbor said.
In court the judge said Ferguson was arrested in March for theft. That case has not yet gone to trial.
Fetcho said she's tried to befriend Ferguson since he moved in last year. She also said she was robbed this week and she believes he is responsible.
"Someone knew what we had and they knew exactly what they were looking for," Fetcho said.
Ferguson would have been sent to the Lackawanna County jail, but after his outburst in court, police said he will be sent to CMC where he will go through a psychiatric evaluation.
The people whose homes were destroyed in the fire will stay in other county housing units until the apartments are repaired.
He was arrested for a fire police said he set Tuesday night.
Timothy Ferguson, 22, of Jermyn breathes through a tube in his throat after he tried to committ suicide last year.
Now he is charged with arson. Police said he set his apartment building on fire.
Ferguson was wheeled out of district court on a stretcher. In the courtroom he sobbed as he was charged with seven counts of arson.
When the judge set his bail at $100,000, he pulled out his breathing tube. Once he did that, he begged officers to shoot him, rather than send him to jail.
Neighbors who live in the county housing complex in Jermyn where the fire happened said the 22-year-old man was very depressed.
"Oh yeah, all the time. Definitely suicidal," said Darlene Fetcho of Jermyn.
Firefighters were called to the building on Henry Drive around 11 p.m. Several people had to be rescued and one person was hospitalized for minor injuries.
Two of the apartments were heavily damaged, including the one where Ferguson lived.
A neighbor who did not want to be identified said she talked with Ferguson earlier in the day, before the fire. "Crying like a baby to me. I told the cop up here I said this kid needs help. The cop talked to him and he left," the neighbor said.
In court the judge said Ferguson was arrested in March for theft. That case has not yet gone to trial.
Fetcho said she's tried to befriend Ferguson since he moved in last year. She also said she was robbed this week and she believes he is responsible.
"Someone knew what we had and they knew exactly what they were looking for," Fetcho said.
Ferguson would have been sent to the Lackawanna County jail, but after his outburst in court, police said he will be sent to CMC where he will go through a psychiatric evaluation.
The people whose homes were destroyed in the fire will stay in other county housing units until the apartments are repaired.
