ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Saturday, April 6, 1996 TAG: 9604080036
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: B-3 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: LAURENCE HAMMACK
A Roanoke judge has ordered a psychiatric evaluation for a man accused of setting a series of fires in the city's West End neighborhood.
Phillip V. Orren, 21, is charged with eight counts of arson. In all but one case, the fires were set in unoccupied buildings between Nov. 21 and Jan. 21 in the areas of Patterson and Campbell avenues Southwest.
Assistant public defender Gretchen Knoblauch said a psychiatric evaluation is needed to determine whether Orren suffers from pyromania, an uncontrollable impulse to set fires.
According to testimony Thursday in Roanoke General District Court, Orren told police that he used flaming paper airplanes to set some of the fires - igniting the airplanes with a cigarette lighter before tossing them at his targets.
Knoblauch sought to have the statement thrown out Friday in Circuit Court, but Judge Richard Pattisall denied the motion. Pattisall did, however, grant a request for the psychiatric evaluation.
Chief Assistant Common-wealth's Attorney Betty Jo Anthony said an earlier evaluation found that Orren is competent to stand trial.
In January, Orren was charged with arson in connection with a fire that damaged an occupied home on the 800 block of Patterson Avenue. James Glass was sleeping in the house the night of Jan. 23 when a fire broke out on a porch. No one was injured, but the blaze caused about $10,000 in damage.
An investigation, which came as residents in the area voiced concerns about the rash of fires, led to an additional seven arson charges against Orren.
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