AKRON, Ohio — An Akron man who lobbed a Molotov cocktail into a house next door to his and seriously injured a woman last year has been sentenced to spend the next seven years in prison.
Tommy Tanner, 61, of Bachtel Avenue, was originally arrested after he confessed to setting a boarded-up house on fire on July 27, 2018.
A woman who was inside the house when the firebomb went off sustained burns to more than 60% of her body. Several of her fingers had to be amputated due to complications from her injuries.
When Tanner initially spoke to police about the fire, he denied any wrongdoing. He eventually recanted his statements and admitted to torching the home because he was “frustrated” with the amount of foot traffic coming and going into the boarded-up house, according to authorities. He told police that he “snapped that day” after seeing boards that once covered the back door had been pried off.
“Your actions appear malicious and horribly reckless and could have resulted in many deaths. As it is, you severely injured this young woman. She will suffer from the pain and disfigurement you caused for the rest of her life,” said Judge Alison McCarty.
According to the court, Tanner has been placed on the lifetime arson registry.
RELATED: Akron woman severely injured after firebomb tossed into house
