Pataskala man indicted in fatal house fire that killed father
John D. McKnight faces charges of involuntary manslaughter and negligent burning following a fatal February house fire on Columbia Road SW in Pataskala.
A Licking County grand jury indicted 60-year-old John D. McKnight on counts of involuntary manslaughter and negligent burning on Oct. 21, according to court records. Prosecutors accuse McKnight of causing the fire around 5 p.m. Feb. 7 at the home on the 4800 block of Columbia Road SW, with the indictment coming eight months after his father died from burns sustained in the house fire.
The heavily damaged residence in the 4800 block of Columbia Road SW in Pataskala following the fatal Feb. 7 fire.
Credit: WBNS 10TV / West Licking Joint Fire District Image source
Responding firefighters encountered a heavily involved basement fire that had moved to the first floor, according to emergency reports. Firefighters pulled 84-year-old Franklin McKnight from the two-alarm house fire, but he died the following day, Feb. 8, at Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center from thermal burn injuries. Two West Licking Joint Fire District firefighters suffered injuries during the emergency response, including one who was hospitalized with a severe burn to his ear, though county officials confirmed both personnel recovered.
In court records, prosecutors said John McKnight told fire investigators that he poured gasoline into a basement wood stove on Feb. 7 and left additional gasoline in a bowl above the stove. McKnight told investigators he planned to add that gasoline to the fire the next day, but tripped and knocked the bowl into the open stove, creating what records described as a “fire ball.” Fire district records state that investigators determined a person caused the blaze but could not determine whether it was intentional.
Franklin McKnight was under hospice care and in a hospital bed when the fire started, according to investigative records. Prosecutors stated that John McKnight escaped the house but left his father and a dog inside. Court records show McKnight told investigators he argued with his father on Feb. 6 and was experiencing “caretaker fatigue.”
Licking County Assistant Prosecutor Tyler McCoy said his office believes the younger McKnight “created an unsafe environment” since he had the gasoline close to the stove. Prosecutors wrote that the fire spread as a result of McKnight's dangerous actions in using gasoline inside his father's residence to accelerate the fire, adding that the victim would not have died but for the thermal burns from the blaze.
In Licking County, McKnight is scheduled for a bond hearing Nov. 10. Under Ohio law, McKnight is presumed innocent until proven guilty in court.
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Supporting evidence (17)
A Licking County grand jury indicted 60-year-old John D. McKnight on counts of involuntary manslaughter and negligent burning on Oct. 21, according to court records.
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John D. McKnight, 60, faces one count each of involuntary manslaughter and negligent burning after prosecutors accuse him of causing a fire around 5 p.m. Feb. 7 at the home on the 4800 block of Columbia Road SW.
A Licking County grand jury indicted 60-year-old John D. McKnight on counts of involuntary manslaughter and negligent burning on Oct. 21, according to court records.
Read supporting passage
A Licking County grand jury indicted John McKnight on the charges Oct. 21.
Prosecutors accuse McKnight of causing the fire around 5 p.m. Feb. 7 at the home on the 4800 block of Columbia Road SW, with the indictment coming eight months after his father died from burns sustained in the house fire.
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John D. McKnight, 60, faces one count each of involuntary manslaughter and negligent burning after prosecutors accuse him of causing a fire around 5 p.m. Feb. 7 at the home on the 4800 block of Columbia Road SW.
Firefighters pulled 84-year-old Franklin McKnight from the two-alarm house fire, but he died the following day, Feb. 8, at Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center from thermal burn injuries.
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Firefighters pulled Franklin McKnight, 84, from the home but he died from his injuries Feb. 8 at Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center.
Two West Licking Joint Fire District firefighters suffered injuries during the emergency response, including one who was hospitalized with a severe burn to his ear, though county officials confirmed both personnel recovered.
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A pair of West Licking Joint Fire District firefighters suffered injuries from the fire but recovered, McCoy said.
In court records, prosecutors said John McKnight told fire investigators that he poured gasoline into a basement wood stove on Feb. 7 and left additional gasoline in a bowl above the stove.
Read supporting passage
In court records, prosecutors say John McKnight told fire investigators he poured gasoline into a wood stove in the basement Feb. 7 and put additional gasoline in a bowl that he left above the stove.
McKnight told investigators he planned to add that gasoline to the fire the next day, but tripped and knocked the bowl into the open stove, creating what records described as a “fire ball.”
Read supporting passage
He planned to add that gasoline into the fire the next day, but tripped, knocking the bowl into the stove, according to an investigator.
Fire district records state that investigators determined a person caused the blaze but could not determine whether it was intentional.
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The records state that the district found a person caused the fire but couldn't determine whether it was intentional.
Prosecutors stated that John McKnight escaped the house but left his father and a dog inside.
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John McKnight exited the home but left his father, who was in hospice care, and a dog inside, the records state.
Court records show McKnight told investigators he argued with his father on Feb. 6 and was experiencing “caretaker fatigue.”
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John McKnight also told investigators that he and his dad argued Feb. 6
Court records show McKnight told investigators he argued with his father on Feb. 6 and was experiencing “caretaker fatigue.”
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caretaker fatigue
Licking County Assistant Prosecutor Tyler McCoy said his office believes the younger McKnight “created an unsafe environment” since he had the gasoline close to the stove.
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Licking County Assistant Prosecutor Tyler McCoy said his office believes the younger McKnight
Licking County Assistant Prosecutor Tyler McCoy said his office believes the younger McKnight “created an unsafe environment” since he had the gasoline close to the stove.
Read supporting passage
created an unsafe environment
Licking County Assistant Prosecutor Tyler McCoy said his office believes the younger McKnight “created an unsafe environment” since he had the gasoline close to the stove.
Read supporting passage
since he had the gasoline close to the stove.
Prosecutors wrote that the fire spread as a result of McKnight's dangerous actions in using gasoline inside his father's residence to accelerate the fire, adding that the victim would not have died but for the thermal burns from the blaze.
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The fire spread as a result of the defendant's dangerous actions, using gasoline inside of his father's residence to accelerate the fire, which spread [to the rest] of the structure
Prosecutors wrote that the fire spread as a result of McKnight's dangerous actions in using gasoline inside his father's residence to accelerate the fire, adding that the victim would not have died but for the thermal burns from the blaze.
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But for the thermal burns caused by the fire [John McKnight] started, the victim would not have died.
In Licking County, McKnight is scheduled for a bond hearing Nov. 10.
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A Licking County grand jury indicted John McKnight on the charges Oct. 21. He's scheduled for a bond hearing Nov. 10.
Man charged with involuntary manslaughter in Pataskala fire that left father dead
Supporting evidence (2)
Prosecutors accuse McKnight of causing the fire around 5 p.m. Feb. 7 at the home on the 4800 block of Columbia Road SW, with the indictment coming eight months after his father died from burns sustained in the house fire.
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A man has been charged in the death of his father, who he was providing hospice care for, eight months after he died from burns sustained in a two-alarm house fire in Pataskala, officials said.
Firefighters pulled 84-year-old Franklin McKnight from the two-alarm house fire, but he died the following day, Feb. 8, at Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center from thermal burn injuries.
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A man has been charged in the death of his father, who he was providing hospice care for, eight months after he died from burns sustained in a two-alarm house fire in Pataskala, officials said.
Supporting evidence (4)
Responding firefighters encountered a heavily involved basement fire that had moved to the first floor, according to emergency reports.
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As WBNS reported, responding firefighters found a heavily involved basement fire that had moved to the first floor.
Two West Licking Joint Fire District firefighters suffered injuries during the emergency response, including one who was hospitalized with a severe burn to his ear, though county officials confirmed both personnel recovered.
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Two firefighters were also injured in the fire, one of whom suffered a severe burn to his ear and had to be hospitalized.
McKnight told investigators he planned to add that gasoline to the fire the next day, but tripped and knocked the bowl into the open stove, creating what records described as a “fire ball.”
Read supporting passage
He said he tripped and knocked the bowl of gasoline into the open wood stove, which caused a “fire ball.”
Franklin McKnight was under hospice care and in a hospital bed when the fire started, according to investigative records.
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An investigation revealed that Franklin McKnight was under hospice care and in a hospital bed when the fire began. His son was his caregiver.