- Northern New York Newspapers
- Watertown Daily Times
- The Journal
- Daily Courier-Observer
- NNY Ads
- NNY Business
- NNY Living
- Malone Telegram
OSWEGO A town of Rutland man is being held without bail in Oswego County Jail after he allegedly knocked down a woman in her home Thursday afternoon and set fire to her clothing, according to the Oswego County Sheriffs Department.
Matthew D. Roof, 34, of 26279 Middle Road, who is also facing charges from a arrests here in June and last October, is charged with first-degree assault in Thursdays incident, which occurred in the town of Hastings. He was jailed following arraignment in Central Square Village Court.
Deputies he had a fight with a 33-year-old woman in the basement of her home, and caused her to fall to the floor when he struck her on the ankle with a metal pole. Once she was down, he poured rubbing alcohol and vodka on her, and grabbed a gas grill igniter, deputies said. As the woman got up, he sparked a flame in the igniter, and started the womans slacks and shirt to burn, deputies alleged.
The woman, not identified by the sheriffs office, escaped, and suffered only minor injuries, according to the sheriffs office.
A spokeswoman for the sheriffs department said the Thursday incident appears to be unrelated to Mr. Roofs arrest in June, when he was charged with felony criminal contempt and bribing a witness. In that case, he is accused of giving a cellphone to a girl under the age of 17 while asking her to recant allegations she filed against him.
Those allegations, also in the town of Hastings, prompted his arrest in October on charges of second-degree rape, first-degree criminal sex act, second-degree criminal sexual conduct against a child and endangering the welfare of a child.