Man charged for garage blaze

Sept. 21--TRAVERSE CITY -- Singed hand hair and a considerable criminal record helped lead police to the man they suspect torched a garage.

Traverse City police officers arrested Raymond Robert Gauthier, 52, Wednesday at his 11th Street home following a June garage fire that prompted an arson investigation. Gauthier appeared for an arraignment hearing Thursday afternoon in 86th District Court. He faces a third-degree arson charge, a felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison.

Detective Evan Warsecke said Gauthier remained officers' only suspect through the investigation. They additionally believe he provided the cellphone used by another person to call 911 to report the Lake Avenue fire June 4.

The investigation began shortly after the blaze and was "wrapped up within the first few week," he said. Investigators waited for completed fire department and insurance investigation reports before making the arrest.

"It was just to get everything together and collaborate all of the information together to get it to the prosecutor," Warsecke said.

A neighbor called dispatchers when they saw smoke coming from the garage at 720 Lake St., Capt. Jim Bussell said previously. Traverse City firefighters doused the flames and reported no injuries.

Bussell said the building was not a complete loss, but estimated about $20,000 in damages.

The homeowner left at about 8:45 a.m. June 4. A neighbor who keeps her bicycle in the detached garage reported seeing Gauthier near the structure at about 2 p.m., according to court records.

A Traverse City Fire Department official determined someone set it intentionally.

A police investigator interviewed Gauthier and noted the hair on Gauthier's hands "appeared singed," according to court records. Gauthier appeared to admit his guilt to an officer on the same day of the blaze while being arrested in a separate case, court records indicate.

Warsecke did not immediately know what led Gauthier to burn the garage, but he suspects the motive was tied to a disagreement between his girlfriend and the homeowner.

"When I spoke to him (Wednesday), he seemed remorseful," Warsecke said. "But that day he didn't."

He will be charged as a third offense habitual offender, which could enhance the potential sentence, according to court records.

Gauthier's background criminal record sports a number of with felony convictions, including arson, breaking and entering, drunken driving and attempted unlawful use of a motor vehicle charges, according to court records.

___

(c)2018 The Record-Eagle (Traverse City, Mich.)

Visit The Record-Eagle (Traverse City, Mich.) at record-eagle.com

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.