Drunk Man Kills Cat In Townhome Fire, Say Authorities

LAWRENCEVILLE, GA – A Lawrenceville man has been charged with first-degree arson and aggravated cruelty to animals after authorities say he started a townhome fire Tuesday in the 800 block of Old Peachtree Road, NW near Dean Road in (unincorporated) Lawrenceville. There were no injuries in the fire but a cat was found deceased inside the home by firefighters.

Jose Antonio Ramirez, 37, lived in the same townhome community he set fire to, according to the Gwinnett Fire Department. The incident originated as a suspicious person call for Gwinnett County Police, after a resident of the townhome community called 911 to report someone trying to unlawfully enter their screened porch.

The responding police officers encountered a man, on foot, coming out of the woods near the townhome, who matched the description given by the caller. The intoxicated man was identified as Ramirez. Officers went to Ramirez’s home address and discovered the windows stained black and smoke coming from the second floor. The officers alerted emergency dispatchers via radio to have the fire department respond to the location.

Firefighters quickly extinguished the fire and contained it to contents in the living room. There was no one inside the townhome unit when fire crews arrived and no human injuries were reported. A cat was found deceased inside the home by firefighters during the primary search. Firefighters overhauled the charred debris in the room of origin and removed smoke from the affected townhome. There was no fire extension found in the adjoining units of the building.

The Fire Investigator assigned to the case obtained warrants charging Ramirez with three felonies. He is currently being held without bond and at the Gwinnett County Detention Center. The motive is believed to be domestic-related based on information that Ramirez’s wife and children left the townhome after the two engaged in an earlier dispute. Specific information about how the fire was set is not being released at this time due to the ongoing investigation.

Equipment on the scene included: three engines, one ladder truck, one squad, one medic unit, two battalion chiefs and one fire investigator.

Photo courtesy Gwinnett County Fire Department