Argument Over Money Led to Arson, Police Say

Jarrett Rotz “had a problem with Tyler Deater over money” and decided to make his point by setting fire to a van parked in the driveway of Deater’s house, according to court papers filed by Bethlehem police.

Rotz, 19, of 221 Lehigh St., Bethlehem, was charged with three felony counts, including arson, on Tuesday. He is free on $20,000 bail.

According to the arrest warrant, Rotz went to the Deater home at 1044 Crawford St. shortly before midnight on March 16. He brought with him a drink bottle filled with highly flammable rubber roofing glue, poured it onto the right front tire of the van parked in the driveway and set it on fire with a lighter.

The resulting blaze burned the tire and the right front quarter panel of the van, causing $3,000 in damage, including the cost of cleaning hazardous material from the scene, according to the arrest affidavit. The vehicle belonged to Scott Deater, whose exact relationship to Tyler Deater was unclear in the court papers.

Rotz called Tyler Deater the day after the fire and asked him if he “got his message with the van,” the court papers said.

Rotz admitted to setting the fire in an interview at Bethlehem Police headquarters on May 25. Rotz was accompanied to that interview with his attorney, Dave Nicholls, and waived his Miranda rights, according to the warrant.

Rotz was arraigned before on charges of arson endangering persons, a first-degree felony; arson of an occupied structure, a second-degree felony; possession of explosive or incendiary materials, a third-degree felony; and criminal mischief, a misdemeanor.