Young man entered foster care at 22 months and had 15 placements

Grandson charged in fatal Middletown fire
Police: Accused arsonist admitted setting blaze but said he did not intend to harm his grandfather
Pack, Lauren and Jen Roppel. Dayton Daily News, March 25, 2007, pg. A5.

MIDDLETOWN — Family members are numb after the grandson of a Middletown man who died in an arson fire has been charged with setting the blaze. Adam Collinsworth, 20, was arrested Friday afternoon by Middletown police and charged with aggravated arson.

Detectives say Collinsworth set the March 4 fire at 4916 Ronald Drive. Clarence Collinsworth, 70, died of smoke inhalation after being trapped inside the house.

"It's just such a shock," said Jeff Collinsworth Jr., the eldest grandson and brother of Collinsworth. "I never imagined anything like this would happen."

Collinsworth, who had been living with his grandfather, was housed in the Middletown City Jail Friday without bond. He is scheduled to be arraigned at 9 a.m. Monday in Middletown Municipal Court.

The retired steelworker and past president of the Concerned Armco/AK Steel Retired Employees became trapped in his home just after 2 a.m. March 4 and could not be rescued by firefighters as several explosions went off in the home. His death also prompted the Middletown City Council to not move forward with more planned cuts to the fire department's budget, which were blamed for a delay in reaching the Clarence Collinsworth home.

Clarence Collinsworth's sister-in-law, Herma Gayhart, escaped from her upstairs apartment.

Collinsworth, 20, who had been living at the Ronald Drive home for the past eight months, was not at home at the time of the blaze, a family member said.

Jeff Collinsworth said his youngest brother attended his grandfather's funeral, and that the night before, Collinsworth visited his Colerain Twp. home to borrow dress clothes for the funeral.

"He assured us he had nothing to do with it," he said. "He did not seem to be lying.

"Last week, he told us he was cleared as a suspect, that he wasn't a suspect anymore … and then this came about so it was an extreme shock.

"Maybe my judgment was impaired by wanting to believe, him being there about the same time it happened. I think it was probably in the back of everyone's mind."

Jeff Collinsworth described Collinsworth, the youngest of four brothers, as troubled with numerous problems as a juvenile.

All four boys were in the Butler County foster care system, and Collinsworth entered foster care at 22 months and had 15 placements by the time he was 15 or 16, when Jeff Collinsworth at 21 gained legal custody of his brother.

Jeff Collinsworth said he tried to do his best to help his youngest brother, by serving as a kind of father figure and role model, but that when Collinsworth was 18 he chose to not to clean up his act to continue living with his brother's family.

Clarence Collinsworth, known as "Papaw" to his grandsons, took in Collinsworth a little less than a year ago. "He had some problems with Papaw," but no worse than he had with other family members who wanted him to straighten out, Jeff Collinsworth said.

Grieving the loss of "Papaw" is compounded by his brother's criminal charges, he said.

"That's where it gets complicated. He's my brother, I love him, I took care of him for a while. I have a bundle of emotions — anger, hurt, sad. … It's going to be like losing another family member."

Jeff Collinsworth and his father, Jeff Sr., who is in a care facility, plan to visit Collinsworth today in jail, he said.

"The family has so many questions. The only person who can answer them is Adam," he said.

Middletown police Detective David Swartzel said Collinsworth was a suspect early in the investigation and it was a matter of collecting the evidence to make an arrest.

The telltale signs of arson also were apparent at the fire scene, he said.

"I have limited arson training and I could tell it was arson," Swartzel said.

The detective said Collinsworth has admitted to starting the fire on porch, but he says he did not intend to harm his grandfather.

"He is a self-proclaimed fire bug," Swartzel said. "He has a fascination with fire."

Middletown police talked with Butler County Prosecutor Robin Piper and further evidence will be presented to a grand jury. Swartzel said he does expect Collinsworth to be indicted on additional charges.