MADISON — The father and uncle of three children who were killed in a house fire in southwestern Wisconsin have been jailed on suspicion of arson.
The arrests were announced Sunday in a joint news release from the Village of Argyle Police Department, the Lafayette County Sheriff’s Office and the State Fire Marshal at the Division of Criminal Investigation.
http://liarcatchers.com/arson_investigation.html
It says the father, Armin J. Ward III, of Argyle, is facing a tentative charge of arson of a building with intent to defraud. The uncle, 18-year-old Jeremy L. Wand, also of Argyle, faces the same felony charge.
The statement said the investigation into Friday’s fire is ongoing and no further information is available at this time.
Armin Wand’s three sons, ages 3, 5 and 7, died in the fire. His wife, Sharon Wand, and a 2-year-old daughter escaped, but Sharon Wand was critically injured.
Before his arrest, Armin Wand told WKOW-TV his wife couldn’t find the phone to call 911 when the fire started at about 3 a.m. Friday at their Argyle house. She ran outside for help while he tried to fight the fire, he said. When he realized it was too big, he couldn’t get to the room where his three boys were inside.
An official from UW Hospital said Sharon Wand was in critical condition on Saturday.
The children’s grandfather, Armin Wand, Jr., said he talked to his son afterward.
“He did tell me he tried to go in through the window to get the two oldest out and one was crying and that’s the last he heard. He couldn’t get in there fast enough,” he said.
