Teenager High on Meth Starts Home Fires

Earlier this month, a teenager who was high on meth started two home fires in Harrison Township, Pennsylvania. 19 year old Sean Hallam got high on cough syrup and meth and went out looking for trouble. Hallam made what’s commonly called a firebomb or a poor man’s grenade that has a mixture of flammable materials and a wick. This concoction Hallam prepared was used to set two random homes on fire. One home was completely consumed by the fire. This first fire almost killed a grandmother and her 18 year old grandson, who were among two families living in that residence. Fortunately, witnesses were able to save them in time. The fire at the second home was discovered quickly and extinguished.

High and bored with time to “kill”

Many home fires started by teenagers are accidental. Seen frequently is a teen with a lighter, too much time on their hands, and ignorance. In these cases, teenagers may be charged with arson, if charged at all. When the fires are set on purpose and put others in danger, those charges can change dramatically. In the case with Sean Hallam, even though he was under the influence of meth, he willingly committed arson to homes that were undeniably occupied. Because of this he is also being charged with 8 counts of attempted homicide.

News flash-Teenagers make poor decisions

Teenagers are known for making decisions that are immature and thoughtless. Meth and other drugs will decrease a teenager’s ability to think clearly and forecast outcomes to their poor choices. If your teenager is facing charges for decisions they made while high on meth or other narcotics, contact a criminal defense attorney to hopefully get your son or daughter a stint in a drug treatment facility instead of jail.