Play with Fire and You Could Get . . . Charged with Arson?

As you likely already know, arson is setting fire to something with criminal intent. But it’s not such a cut-and-dry situation. Crime Attorney Jeff Manciagli has the experience necessary to give you a solid defense if you find yourself charged with arson.

Here are some fast facts about arson conviction in Georgia.

First-Degree Arson: Setting fire to a home, building, or vehicle.

Second-Degree Arson: Convincing another person to set fire to property.

Third-Degree Arson: Setting fire to personal property valued at a minimum of $25.00.

Aggravated vs. Reckless

Aggravated arson is any time you deliberately cause a fire, no matter what your motives are. A person could commit arson with the intent to harm another, physically or financially. It’s also arson to torch your own property with the intent of defrauding your insurance company.

Reckless arson is when you’re responsible for a fire that started because of disregarding the potential consequence of certain behavior. For example, it’s reckless to start a campfire in a restricted area. If your little cooking fire causes damage to the property, that’s reckless arson.

But It Was An Accident!

Probably the majority of fires are not started intentionally. Electrical issues, faulty heating devices, and cooking accidents are common causes.

You are innocent until proven guilty, but arson investigators and insurance companies are likely to regard any event as suspicious until they are satisfied with the evidence. That being the case, you may find yourself facing an arson charge and you’ll need the help of an experienced arson defense lawyer to get it dropped. Jeff Manciagli is up to the challenge!