An Indiana man was arrested after he allegedly cut off his penis and used it to start a fire at his mother’s garage.
The Allen County Prosecutor’s Office has charged Christopher Michael Peden with arson following the incident that took place on May 6.
Firefighters with the Fort Wayne Fire Department responded to a fire at a detached garage on May 6, according to court records viewed by WTHR. Authorities said that Peden’s mother and brother live at the home where the fire occurred.
Peden’s brother told the responding firefighters that he learned about the fire when a neighbor woke him up by knocking on the house door to tell them about the blaze.
The brother explained that the garage did not have electrical power. Additionally, the only fuel in the garage was in a small gas can that the family used for the lawn mower.
Around the same time of the fire, Fort Wayne police officers responded to a report of a stabbing and met with Peden, 36. Officers investigated the two situations and determined that Peden, who claimed that he was stabbed, was also involved in the garage fire.
Peden was then taken to the hospital and he allegedly told officers that he was stabbed somewhere in downtown Fort Wayne, per court documents.
However, Peden allegedly later changed his story and told officers that he went into the detached garage at his mother’s house around 2 a.m. and cut off his genitals with a kitchen knife. He then claimed that he poured gasoline on the severed genitals before he set them on fire on the floor in the garage.
Firefighters collected evidence from the fire, which included a red plastic gasoline container, four lighters and a kitchen knife.
Peden was then arrested and charged with arson. His initial court hearing took place on July 2 and a judge set his bond at $10,000. A surety bond was later posted on July 7, according to online records.
It is not currently clear if Peden has entered a plea or retained legal counsel following his arrest. The Allen County Prosecutor’s Office told Us they have no additional information to share as of time of publication.
Authorities have not shared many details about the incident, including if they believe Peden had a motive in setting the fire. The investigation into the case remains ongoing.
Peden is next scheduled to appear in court for a hearing on August 31.
