Thursday, January 26, 2006
Authorities had offered a reward of $5,000 for information about the fire.
By ED RUNYAN
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
WARREN -- A 22-year-old Leavittsburg man is charged with aggravated arson in the June 24, 2005, fire on Nelson Mosier Road in Leavittsburg that killed 52 cows.
Roddy M. Rudkin Jr. of 465 Briggs Road was arraigned by video Wednesday in Warren Municipal Court on the charge, a second degree felony. He is accused of setting the fire at the Klingensmith farm that destroyed two barns.
He also was arraigned on another aggravated arson charge in which he is accused of setting a fire at a 21/2-story house on Wood Street in Warren on Nov. 10.
Rudkin pleaded innocent to both charges and is being held without bond pending a preliminary hearing Feb. 1 in municipal court to determine whether there is enough evidence to bind him over to a Trumbull County grand jury.
Matthew Balut, an investigator with the Trumbull County Fire Investigative Unit that handled the case, said the agency has no comment on Rudkin's arrest at this time.
Authorities offered a reward of up to $5,000 for information leading to the arrest of those responsible for the barn fire. Authorities ruled it arson after accidental and electrical causes were ruled out, said Steve Moldenhauer, Trumbull County fire investigator.
The fire
The blaze erupted at 2:24 a.m. at the dairy farm owned by David Klingensmith at 6300 Nelson-Mosier Road, Warren Township.
At that time, Moldenhauer had said there were two people of interest being investigated. The fire had multiple starting points, he said, but he declined to comment on whether an accelerant was used. The motive for the fire is unknown, he added.
John Klingensmith, son of farm owner David Klingensmith, said all the heifers and calves and one milk cow survived the fire. The Klingensmith family bought the farm in 1872, said John Klingensmith, the fifth generation on the farm.
The second barn destroyed was full of hay. Ken Schick, Warren Township fire chief, estimated the damage overall to be around $500,000. Firefighters were able to save most of the equipment, which was housed in a third barn.
runyan@vindy.com