United States (Ohio) - A Fairfield County grand jury has indicted a volunteer firefighter on aggravated arson and other felony charges related to a fire set in the men's room of a Lancaster restaurant. The indictment issued yesterday also charges Robert N. Steiner with tampering with evidence, attempting to commit tampering with evidence and two counts of vandalism.

Steiner is accused of starting a fire in a vent in the men's room of the Fiesta Tropicana Restaurant at 1236 N. Memorial Drive on Jan. 5.

Steiner, 35, of Lancaster, volunteers with the rural Hocking Township Fire Department in the southern part of the county, said Lancaster Police Sgt. William C. Tolley. Fire Chief Curtis Golden did not return a telephone message seeking comment.

The fire was reported at 7:52 p.m. and was minor, resulting in a lot of smoke, but it was a serious matter because customers and employees were inside the restaurant at the time, Tolley said.

Aggravated arson is a first-degree felony punishable by a maximum sentence of 11 years in prison.

Written by The Columbus Dispatch

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