HAMILTON TOWNSHIP, Ohio — A man is going to prison after he pleaded guilty to multiple charges of aggravated arson and felonious assault on a police officer, Warren County Prosecutor David Fornshell announced.
Judge Timothy Tepe sentenced 62-year-old Michael Burch to 21 to 24 years in prison on Wednesday.
Prosecutors said that on March 29, 2024, Burch poured gasoline onto the carpet of the home he lived in with his girlfriend, who was home at the time. Burch then ignited the gasoline with a lighter, setting the house on fire.
When his girlfriend escaped the burning home and made it outside, Burch threw additional gasoline out of a window and onto her, prosecutors said.
When multiple law enforcement agencies and fire personnel responded to the nearby home, they had to evacuate nearby residents; the fire destroyed Burch's home and damaged neighboring properties on both sides.
During that time, Burch ran to his back yard and held a gun to his head, triggering a standoff with police.
Prosecutors said at one point during the standoff, Burch aimed his gun at one of the officers; that officer attempted to fire in self-defense, but the officer's gun failed because of a dimpled primer.
Burch was eventually arrested with the help of a canine officer; during his arrest, one shot was fired into the ground but no one was injured. Officials did not say whether that shot was fired by Burch or an officer.
In all, Burch pleaded guilty to three counts of aggravated arson, one count of felonious assault on a police officer, one count of inducing panic and one count of obstructing official business. Following his prison sentence, he will be required to register his address annually with the sheriff's office arson registry for the rest of his life, as a designated arson offender.
