Arson sentence delayed in River Haven fire

Dec. 16--Patty Ammerman says the man who admitted to setting her mobile home on fire needs help.

Jason Wayne Chittenden, 25, remains in the Ottawa County Jail awaiting sentence for second-degree arson in the 3 a.m. fire at Ammerman's home in early May.

Sentencing on Monday was adjourned in order to give his new attorney time to prepare a motion to withdraw his plea, court officials said.

"He needs to be somewhere he can be watched 24/7," Ammerman said. "He's done this before."

The fire victim said she fears if the defendant is set loose, and starts someone's home on fire again, that next family might not be so lucky.

Ammerman, her boyfriend and her 8-year-old daughter were sleeping when the defendant knocked on their door to alert them of the fire, she said.

Chittenden lived across the street at the time.

The occupants of the mobile home were able to evacuate safely as fire on the back of the home moved up the siding and into the attic.

Although they got out with their lives, they lost a lot of their possessions, Ammerman said

"I'm a hunter and all of my guns were ruined," Ammerman said. "The fire hit the bedroom area. That's where I kept all my valuable things."

Ammerman said she lost a lot of personal belongings and furniture in the fire. They did not have insurance.

"It's devastating," she said. "On top of losing all the stuff, I had just recovered from divorce. I had to start all over yet again."

The victim said community members donated clothing and other things, but they are still trying to recover and need a couple of beds.

"I currently have a Rent-A-Center bed that has to go back," she said. "I can't afford it."

Ammerman said she moved in with family after the fire. A month later, the mobile home community provided another home for her family.

She said she realizes the young man has some mental handicaps and has mixed feelings about him going to prison.

In the meantime, her daughter still is afraid to go to bed at night

"She freaks out a little bit -- she gets stomach aches," Ammerman said.

Chittenden was found competent to stand trial following a forensic examination over the summer, a court official said.

His case was bound over to Circuit Court on Aug. 28.

At the time of his pre-trial on Oct. 26, Chittenden entered a guilty plea.

On Nov. 20, a motion to withdraw the plea was denied, but without prejudice, meaning that Chittenden could make the motion again.

Chittenden's new attorney, Anna White, is expected to file a new motion soon.

A new sentencing date was set for Jan. 4, 2016, at 1 p.m.

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