Bond set at $1 million for father of two young boys killed in Greenfield fire
Lead Summary
By
-
A Greenfield man whose two young children were killed in a fire Sunday morning is being held on $1 million bond at the Highland County Justice Center.
According to Greenfield Police Chief Tim Hester, Wesley Coonrod, 42, has been charged with two counts of child endangering, both felonies of the third degree.
However, Hester said, those charges are "separate from the fire."
"When officers arrived on scene Mr. Coonrod was extremely intoxicated and in no condition to be providing care for the children," Hester said. "The house was on fire and the children were trapped inside."
Coonrod was arraigned Monday in Greenfield County Court before Judge Robert Judkins, where bond was set at $500,000 on each of the charges.
Hester said additional charges are possible pending the investigation into the fire by the State Fire Marshal's Office.
Richard Federle Jr. of Wilmington was appointed as Coonrod's attorney during the arraignment hearing. WLWT TV News in Cincinnati reported Sunday afternoon that brothers Thomas Coonrod, 4, and Stephen Coonrod, 3, died in the fire.
According to the Highland County Coroner's Office, a call was received at approximately 1 a.m. Sunday, March 7 that two young children died in a house fire off Lafayette Street.
The fire was reported shortly after midnight.
A spokesperson for the Paint Creek Joint EMS and Fire District said firefighters were still on the scene at 7:30 Sunday morning. Additional reports were expected by Monday morning, the spokesperson told The Highland County Press.
According to Chief Bradley George of the Paint Creek Joint Fire District, the investigation has been turned over the the state fire marshal, and the department cannot speak as to the suspected cause of Sunday's fire. George said he could not confirm if accelerant was found at the scene.
"We made entry without any issues," George said. "The first crew in found the kids. We were able to knock down the fire, and we turned the scene over to (the state fire marshal)."
George said he has been making sure the firefighters in his department are equipped to cope with the aftermath of the incident.
"Any time you deal with a death it's bad enough," George said. "But when when it's kids ... and this is the second time with this family, on top of being a department that is just eight weeks old. I'm just making sure my guys are handling it all right."
On Feb. 1, according to George, the department responded to a fire at 421 Milburn Street in Greenfield, a residence in which Coonrod was the occupant.
"The (Feb. 1) fire appeared to have been caused by an unintentional human act," George said. "Basically when (that is the determination it means) there was no reason for that fire. There was no mechanical failure, no electrical. Somebody caused that fire, accidental or intentional. We can't rule out smoking, we can't rule out child's play, there was no sign of an accelerant. Its didn't appear to be arson. We could not specify why the fire started."
When asked if the department would reopen its investigation into the Milburn Street incident following this past weekend's fire, George noted there is no statute of limitations on arson, but that, "unless other information comes up, there is no reason to go back on it."[[In-content Ad]]
According to Greenfield Police Chief Tim Hester, Wesley Coonrod, 42, has been charged with two counts of child endangering, both felonies of the third degree.
However, Hester said, those charges are "separate from the fire."
"When officers arrived on scene Mr. Coonrod was extremely intoxicated and in no condition to be providing care for the children," Hester said. "The house was on fire and the children were trapped inside."
Coonrod was arraigned Monday in Greenfield County Court before Judge Robert Judkins, where bond was set at $500,000 on each of the charges.
Hester said additional charges are possible pending the investigation into the fire by the State Fire Marshal's Office.
Richard Federle Jr. of Wilmington was appointed as Coonrod's attorney during the arraignment hearing. WLWT TV News in Cincinnati reported Sunday afternoon that brothers Thomas Coonrod, 4, and Stephen Coonrod, 3, died in the fire.
According to the Highland County Coroner's Office, a call was received at approximately 1 a.m. Sunday, March 7 that two young children died in a house fire off Lafayette Street.
The fire was reported shortly after midnight.
A spokesperson for the Paint Creek Joint EMS and Fire District said firefighters were still on the scene at 7:30 Sunday morning. Additional reports were expected by Monday morning, the spokesperson told The Highland County Press.
According to Chief Bradley George of the Paint Creek Joint Fire District, the investigation has been turned over the the state fire marshal, and the department cannot speak as to the suspected cause of Sunday's fire. George said he could not confirm if accelerant was found at the scene.
"We made entry without any issues," George said. "The first crew in found the kids. We were able to knock down the fire, and we turned the scene over to (the state fire marshal)."
George said he has been making sure the firefighters in his department are equipped to cope with the aftermath of the incident.
"Any time you deal with a death it's bad enough," George said. "But when when it's kids ... and this is the second time with this family, on top of being a department that is just eight weeks old. I'm just making sure my guys are handling it all right."
On Feb. 1, according to George, the department responded to a fire at 421 Milburn Street in Greenfield, a residence in which Coonrod was the occupant.
"The (Feb. 1) fire appeared to have been caused by an unintentional human act," George said. "Basically when (that is the determination it means) there was no reason for that fire. There was no mechanical failure, no electrical. Somebody caused that fire, accidental or intentional. We can't rule out smoking, we can't rule out child's play, there was no sign of an accelerant. Its didn't appear to be arson. We could not specify why the fire started."
When asked if the department would reopen its investigation into the Milburn Street incident following this past weekend's fire, George noted there is no statute of limitations on arson, but that, "unless other information comes up, there is no reason to go back on it."[[In-content Ad]]