Apartment Fire Suspect Makes Initial Appearance

A 27-year-old Fond du Lac man suspected of setting the fire at the Hometown Harbor Apartments on North Seymour Street made his initial appearance in Fond du Lac County Court this morning. Bond was set at $50,000 cash for Laney Amons who is charged with arson and burglary. According to the criminal complaint he had a fight with his ex-girlfriend the tenant of the apartment where the fire was started early that same morning. The two had been out drinking with friends and Amons allegedly got upset with her when he saw the 27-year-old woman talking with another guy. He allegedly told one witness that he broke in to the woman’s apartment through a glass patio door and squirted lighter fluid on the television extension cord, outlet and lights to make it look like an electrical fire. He told another witness who gave him a ride over to the apartments when he came rushing back to the car that he had set the victim’s “crib on fire.” When an officer found Amons that same morning he had a fresh cut on his right elbow about 4 inches long down his right forearm. He also admitted to having smoked pot and a portable breathalyzer test put his blood alcohol content at more than twice the legal limit (.126). A preliminary hearing is scheduled for May 22nd.