Jeffrey Perritt
A Brookfield man has been put on probation for twice trying to torch a Masury man’s truck.
Jeffrey E. Perritt, 60, of 893 Valley View Drive, pleaded guilty to a charge of arson. Trumbull County Common Pleas Court Judge W. Wyatt McKay sentenced him Nov. 25 to 5 years’ probation.
Perritt threw a Molotov cocktail under the truck July 3 as it was parked in a garage at Warren Sharon Road and Syme Street, Brookfield police said. The flame on the wick of the plastic bottle presumed to be full of a flammable liquid went out, police said.
Perritt returned a few minutes later, retrieved the bottle, relit it, and threw it back under the truck, police said.
A fire reached about three feet tall, touching the rocker panel of the truck, but died down before catching the truck on fire, police said.
A neighbor spotted the fire, kicked the bottle out from under the truck and notified the truck’s owner, police said.
The victim, who notified police July 4, had video surveillance equipment, and police said they were able to use the footage to identify Perritt, the license plate of Perritt’s SUV, and the clothing he wore.
Police said they could not determine a direct connection between Perritt, the victim or the members of the victim’s family that would provide a motive.
