Lethbridge Police say they have charged a 38-year-old man with mischief and other offences in connection with an incident at a northside home where he armed himself with weapons, refused to leave and set the house on fire.
On Tuesday at around 1:50 p.m., a man was reported to be threatening a woman inside a home along the 600 block of Stafford Drive North. Police say they found the woman and she was able to leave the home safely.
When confronted by police the man brandished two hatchets and began to approach the officers. He refused to drop the weapons and would not leave the home. Police confirmed no one else was inside and the home was subsequently contained.
Members of the critical incident team and police made multiple attempts to contact the man, who police say began damaging property and throwing objects out a window. A short time later smoke and flames were observed inside the home.
Lethbridge Fire and Emergency Services put out the blaze and prevented it from spreading to a neighbouring home. While firefighters were working to put out the fire, the man came out of the house and was apprehended by police service dog Robby. The man was treated for non-life-threatening injuries.
Police say the man does not live at the home but had been allowed to stay there temporarily.
The home sustained significant damage as a result of the fire and is currently uninhabitable. No one was injured and there was no damage to neighbouring properties, which were evacuated during the incident. Police also closed public access to Dave Elton Park as a safety precaution.
Joe Zwart, 38, of Cowley, has been charged with arson, possession of a weapon dangerous to the public and two counts each of mischief, assaulting a peace officer and failing to comply with a release order.
Zwart is currently in custody awaiting a court hearing.
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