The 59-year-old Rome man accused of setting fire to his estranged wife’s Elmer Hill Road residence is scheduled for arraignment in County Court on Aug. 21.
Ronald Lamascolo, of 8491 Elmer Hill Road, was indicted Thursday on one count each of third-degree arson, second-degree reckless endangerment, first-degree burglary and first-degree contempt. He is scheduled to appear before Judge Michael L. Dwyer.
An indictment is a formal charge made against a person by a grand jury. It does not establish guilt or remove the presumption of innocence.
Deputies said at 4 p.m. June 5, Lamascolo set on fire the residence he once shared with his estranged wife on Elmer Hill Road.
According to a statement from Lamascolo’s daughter, Lamascolo believed his estranged wife was seeing another man and would not get back together with him, so he was angry. The woman told investigators that Lamascolo telephoned her at work and told her that he was pouring gasoline on everything in the house. The woman said she called 9-1-1.
A Sheriff’s deputy and a state trooper responded to the residence and found it already on fire. The two officers pulled Lamascolo from the burning building, putting themselves at risk to save him, according to the indictment.
Rome and Lake Delta firefighters responded to the scene and knocked down the blaze in about an hour.
Lamascolo was treated at the scene before being transported to the Syracuse hospital. Investigators quickly ruled the fire as intentionally set, and Lamascolo was charged after he was released from the hospital.
